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Photos: Three-storey building collapses in Enugu

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A three-storey building under construction has collapsed at Ezeluike Street, Olympic Layout, off One Day, Agbani Road, Awkunanaw in Enugu State.

The building collapsed on Sunday at 8:20 pm.

It was gathered that the collapsed building was marked for demolition by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) since November 2019 for allegedly not approved for construction.

A staff of ECTDA who gave his name as Levi Obi told our correspondent that the Authority does not issue approval at Olympic Layout where the building collapsed.

He added that the building among other property would have been demolished last week but the action was suspended in compliance with the lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

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It was reported that officials of the ECTDA, FRSC, Fire Service were quickly mobilized to the scene for response operations.

The State Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe could not confirm the incident at the time of filing this report.

Ndukwe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police told our correspondent on the telephone when contacted that he was yet to get an official report about the incident.

“I have received one other call about the incident this morning. I don’t have official report about the incident, but let me make enquiry and I will get back to you,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ECTDA has that it would commence evaluation of the structural integrity and stability of all buildings within the State Capital Territory, from April 10, 2020.

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In a statement by the Executive Chairman of ECTDA, Dr. Josef Onoh, said the exercise will be conducted jointly by a technical team from the Authority and the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Enugu State branch.

Onoh said,

“ECTDA shall comply with the recommendations to be made at the end of the exercise”, pointed out that “where any structure(s) fails the integrity test the developer/owner shall be given a reasonable time not exceeding 60days to commence reconstruction and ensure that the structure is fit and stable for human habitation”.

He added,

“in a case where no option is available such building(s) shall be demolished rather than put the lives of the occupants in danger”.

While disclosing that rescue teams from ECTDA, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), State Fire Service and Red Cross, among others, were on the ground at the site of the incident for emergency operations, Dr Onoh noted that no casualties were recorded.

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He stated categorically that the collapsed three-storey building had no building approval from ECTDA and was consequently marked for demolition in July and November 2019,

“Unfortunately, the developer continued construction in defiance of the Stop-Work order issued by our Agency”.

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