Residents of Umuoma community in Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, were thrown into panic after a two-storey building under construction partially collapsed.
The incident reportedly happened while construction workers were on site.
Witnesses said the structure began giving way after loud cracking sounds were heard from the walls, forcing workers to flee for safety.
When our correspondent visited the area on Wednesday, the building, said to be intended for hotel use, was seen dangerously tilted to different sides following the collapse.
A resident identified simply as Uzor disclosed that more than 20 workers were on the second floor of the structure before it suddenly started caving in.
According to him, the workers narrowly escaped death by jumping out one after another as the building began to fail.
“The building was still under construction and was designed to serve as a three-storey hotel.
Suddenly, loud cracks were heard from the upper floor before the structure started collapsing,” he said.
“The fortunate thing is that nobody was trapped. The workers quickly escaped before the building tilted dangerously.”
He attributed the incident partly to the speed of construction and recent heavy rainfall in the area.
Another resident, identified as Amaka, blamed the collapse on alleged poor construction practices and the possible use of substandard materials.
She questioned why additional blocks were being laid on parts of the building that had not properly dried, especially during the rainy season.
The resident also expressed concerns over the quality of building materials being used for multi-storey structures.
Officials of the Anambra State Urban and Town Planning Department were said to have visited the site on Tuesday and subsequently sealed off the premises to prevent further danger.
Our correspondent observed barriers and warning tapes placed around the property during a visit to the scene.
One of the officials at the site, who spoke anonymously, said investigations had commenced to determine the cause of the collapse and whether the building had the necessary approvals.
“The premises have been sealed pending the outcome of investigations. The structure is still slanting and poses serious danger to nearby residents,” the official said.
He added that authorities would examine whether proper building standards and regulatory procedures were followed before construction commenced.
The official also confirmed that no casualty was recorded despite the presence of workers at the site when the collapse occurred.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident but noted that details were still being compiled.
Building collapse incidents have remained a recurring challenge in several parts of the country, with experts often attributing such disasters to structural defects, poor supervision, use of inferior materials, and non-compliance with approved building standards.