18 months old baby, three others die in Owerri building collapse

www.odogwublog.com reports that an 18 month old baby and three others were yesterday killed during the collapse of a three-storey building in Egbu, Owerri, the Imo state capital.

This is even as Doctors are battling to revive two serving Corps members rescued from the building debris.

18 months old Osinachi Nnabu; another three years old boy, Amara; and two adults whose identities are yet to be ascertained all died following severe injuries sustained during the incident.

Meanwhile, the parents of Osinachi, Mrs and Mrs Dominic Nnabu and Mr Sunday Uzohor, survived the incident with minor injuries and have been pronounced stable.

Odogwu Media gathered that the two serving Corps members and 40 years old Mr Anoruo, who were trapped in the collapsed building are still unconscious while medical personnel are working round the clock to revive them at the Police Clinic, Owerri.

The male Corps Member was identified as Corper Chinedu, while the female's identity whose identity is yet to be confirmed, is said to be a Law graduate currently serving  somewhere at Douglas Street in the state capital. 

Unconfirmed reports said the Corpers were sleeping in the same room when the building collapsed in the wee hours. Their rescue lasted about eight hours as they were buried in the debris and were found still breathing.

One of the survivors, Mr Uzoha, who is in stable condition, told The Authority Daily that there was no inclination of any danger, saying his survival is a huge miracle.

On his part, Mr Dominic  Nnabu, a father to one of the dead children said God's grace preserved him and his wife, adding that they had lived barely two months old in the collapsed building. 

Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Ezike said preliminary investigation showed that the collapse was as a result of unprofessional construction work by the builders.

Ezike assured that due to the huge destruction of properties and loss of lives, the Police will "prosecute all those whose actions and inactions caused the disaster".  

The officer in charge of police clinic in the state, Bose Salami, confirmed to our correspondent that that two children and two adults died in the incident. 

She said that the two Corps members and one Anoruo were being treated in the medical clinic. 

A representative of the state chapter of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, (NSE) Engr Kingsley Onwubiko said the collapse must have been as a result of un-professionalism in the building  construction. . 

According to him, the building was old but the owner against professional ethics added three storey building, an action that led to its collapse.

Onwubiko disclosed that the NSE will assist the police in their findings, to ensure the culprits do not escape justice. 

Meanwhile, a lawyer, Barrister Kissinger Ikeokwu has called on the State Government to clamp down on quack engineers, adding that the spate of building collapses in the state was becoming worrisome.

This incident brings the total building collapse in Owerri to five within one month.