Two people have been rescued from the rubble of a collapsed three-storey building under construction along Odili Road in Port Harcourt. The incident occurred on Wednesday, with emergency responders confirming the rescue of two injured individuals who were immediately transported to Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. Police spokesperson Blessing Agabe confirmed the rescue on Thursday, stating that operations were still ongoing to locate others believed to be trapped beneath the debris. She could not provide an exact number of casualties due to the ongoing clearance efforts.
Vincent Wachukwu, acting permanent secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Health, said ambulances were swiftly deployed following reports of the collapse. He confirmed that two severely injured persons were taken to the teaching hospital for urgent medical care. A survivor at the scene said eight workers were trapped when the structure gave way suddenly on Wednesday. He reported that some workers were pulled out alive shortly after the collapse, though the exact number was not specified.
Witnesses pointed to possible structural defects as the cause of the incident, but authorities have not yet determined the official reason for the failure. Rescue workers continued to clear debris in search of additional victims, with no official confirmation on how many remain unaccounted for. The site remains active as emergency teams work to locate any survivors beneath the wreckage.
The same government that approved construction on Odili Road failed to ensure safety checks were in place before workers entered the site. Two people were pulled alive from the rubble, but eight were initially trapped—raising questions about oversight for ongoing projects. If structural defects caused the collapse, then approvals were granted without proper verification. Workers remain at risk whenever enforcement is absent, even in high-traffic areas like Port Harcourt.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
