4 siblings perish in building collapse in Enugu

The Agric Quarters in the Mgbemena axis of Coal Camp in Enugu, Nigeria, suffered a building collapse that killed four children from the same family, according to the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA).

After visiting the scene of the collapsed building, ECTDA Chairman Mr. Uche Anya confirmed it to the media on Saturday.

Anya reported that on Friday night about 8 p.m., following a downpour, the bungalow building at the Agric Quarters in the Coal Camp area fell.

He said that although the building had animal husbandry approval, it had been altered for domestic use.

The ECTDA chairman disclosed that the structure comprised 44 rooms and roughly 200 occupants while stressing that it was unfit for human habitation.

“We hurried to the location as soon as we received the intelligence. During the incident, four kids perished.

“Danger was waiting to happen there. The building was done carelessly.

“Humans shouldn’t have ever been allowed to occupy this space. Visit there to see for yourself.

“It appears that they claim to be engaged in animal husbandry and poultry there, but it came out that 44 of the rooms are occupied by people, indicating that there must be more than 200 people living there.

The folks we lost in that catastrophe were innocent youngsters, which makes it especially terrible, Anya continued. “The fence line was completely unacceptable; nobody does that.”

The agency’s chairman pledged that it would keep the public informed about the need to live in a more supportive environment in order to prevent a repeat of the terrible situation.

He claimed that the agency’s compliance team, under his direction, would make sure that buildings built by contractors and landlords closely followed the approval plan.

Residents of the building and four additional buildings nearby were also given an immediate quit notice by the ECTDA. (NAN)