Fubara Empathises with Victims of Collapsed Building in Rivers

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara has expressed empathy with injured victims of collapsed two-storey building in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

THISDAY gathered that the incident occurred early hours of yesterday, at a building undergoing construction in Rumuoke Street, off Okilton junction on Ada George road, Obio/Akpor.

It was also gathered that many persons sustained serious injuries, but no death was recorded as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State governor has ordered an urgent investigation on the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse.

Represented by the Commissioner for Special Projects, Chukwuemeka Woke, during an inspection at the scene of the collapsed incident, Fubara charged the relevant government agencies to immediately question those involved in the project and bring anyone culpable to book.

According Fubara, “The Ministry of Urban Development is to take immediate action by conducting site investigations, and site inspections, destructive testing and non-destructive testing of collapsed structural element to establish their strength by the determination of the yield strength of the reinforcements and sieve analysis of the soil at the site, to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse.

“If there is any compromise by those involved in the project, they will be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others,” Fubara emphasised.

While sympathising with the injured men whom he visited at the hospital, the doctors treating them also assured him that they would be discharged in a few days as they were already in stable condition.

He said the government has mobilised earth-moving equipment to the site to evacuate the debris of the collapsed building, as the site has been cordoned off.