REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
Four persons have been rescued from a private hostel of students Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State which collapsed yesterday night.
The storey building is located at Amaokpala a neighbouring community to Oko.
Meanwhile rescue operation comprising team from
National Emergency Management Agency, Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, COREN, Fire Service, Security Operatives and other government officials are still on going at the scene of the incident to recover trapped persons.
One of the occupants who managed to escape before the building collapsed told Radio Nigeria that the landlord had given them notice to quit the enable him to do maintenance on the structure that was already showing structural defects.
She regretted that on known to them, the Caretaker who is now at large, went ahead to rent the rooms to them in January this year.
Another survivor narrated that she heard the shout by neighbors and manged to run out from the third floor before the building finally collapsed.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning, Mr Chijioke Ojukwu stated that of Works, Mr Okey Ezeobi and that of Health Doctor Afam Obidike who all on ground gave their different observations while noting that investigations will be carried out by the state government to ascertain the immediate and remot cause of the collapse.
In an interview the Head of Operations National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA ENUGU Office Mrs Priscilla Madukwe who is coordinating the operation pleaded for calm as an official statement will be released after the exercise.
Radio Nigeria Correspondent Uche Ndeke who is at the scene of the incident reports that efforts are on to mobilise more excavators as only one machine was on ground as at the time of filling the report.
