By Mokobia Rita.
Asaba/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has commenced investigations into the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Asaba, an incident that has heightened concerns over building safety and compliance with construction standards in the state.
The building, located along Uche Okolo Street near St. Patrick Catholic Church, Asaba, collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, September 8, causing panic among residents and damaging parts of nearby structures.
Although no casualties were recorded, sections of a nearby hospital, including its fence and windows, were reportedly affected by the impact of the collapse.
Officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Renewal visited the scene shortly after the incident to carry out an assessment and begin preliminary investigations aimed at determining the immediate and remote causes of the structural failure.
Authorities said the exercise would also establish whether the construction complied with approved building regulations and professional standards.
Residents living around the area said there had been signs of distress within the building before it eventually gave way.
A resident, who identified himself as Mr. Gospel, said he heard unusual cracking sounds coming from the structure while taking an early morning walk between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.
According to him, the building collapsed moments later, sending dust and debris into the surrounding environment.
He expressed the belief that the use of poor-quality building materials may have contributed to the incident, although he acknowledged that only a technical investigation could determine the actual cause.
Another resident and General Secretary of the Asaba Community Youth Council, Mr. Lionel Asiokwu Christopher, noted that concerns had existed regarding the quality of work being carried out on the project.
He observed that the structure appeared to have evolved from an initial bungalow design into a multi-storey development, adding that construction had reportedly reached the third decking stage before the collapse occurred.
The collapse has renewed calls for stricter monitoring of construction projects and greater adherence to engineering and regulatory standards in order to safeguard lives and properties.
