Panic broke out in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday evening after a storey building under construction collapsed, leaving four persons injured and two others missing.
The incident occurred around 3:30 pm at Cathedral Junction, beside the former All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat along Oyemekun Road, a busy part of the city.
Workers trapped as building crumbles
The building, which had been under construction for about six months, reportedly gave way while several construction workers were inside.
Eyewitnesses said the sudden collapse caused confusion in the area as passersby and sympathizers rushed to the scene to assist in rescue efforts.
Men of the Federal Fire Service were said to have arrived shortly after the incident to help search for those trapped under the debris.
Injured workers rushed to hospital
According to sources, workers who sustained varying degrees of injuries were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital, where they were treated by medical personnel.
As of press time, two workers were still missing, raising concerns as rescue operations continued.
An eyewitness, identified as Dapo, said he was riding his motorcycle near the junction when he heard a loud noise.
“I looked back and saw people running towards the place. My passenger and I joined others to rescue those trapped. They were workers and they were badly injured,” he said.
Government seals site, orders investigation
The Ondo State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide, who visited the scene, said an investigation would be launched to determine the immediate and long-term causes of the collapse.
He added that the state government had sealed off the site and would take further action based on the outcome of the investigation.
