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Amawbia residents witnessed what many are calling a divine intervention when a toddler surfaced from the ruins of a fallen building, 24 hours after disaster struck.
The child, previously trapped alongside her mother in the Ekeoyibo market’s two-story building collapse, defied the odds by crawling to safety, leaving the community in awe.
Rescue teams sprang into action after a young girl, crawling out of the wreckage, alerted them to her mother’s presence trapped inside. The child is currently undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.
The rescue of the young child has heightened concerns for the mother’s fate, prompting a swift and concerted response from rescue teams working to locate and free her from the debris.
Rescue teams utilized heavy machinery to clear the rubble, finally reaching the trapped woman, who was then carefully extracted and rushed to a waiting ambulance. She is now receiving medical attention and reportedly responding well to treatment.
The rescue operation has claimed two more victims, including a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps and a carpenter, who was allegedly working on the site when the building gave way, increasing the death toll to three.
The Anambra State Government has pointed to the disregard of construction regulations by contractors and developers as the primary cause of building collapses in the state, highlighting the need for stricter adherence to safety standards.
Read also: Death Toll Rises As Building Collapses In Anambra Market
The Head of Development Control in Awka Capital Development Agency, ACTDA, Mr. Charles Ekwunife said most of the buildings have no approval papers adding that staff and officials of the agency are always harassed and attacked by contractors at the sites whenever they go for inspection.
The official lamented that contractors have been consistently flouting requests from the Development Control department to present structural plans and supporting documents for approval, choosing to proceed with construction projects without adhering to established protocols.
“They used local law enforcement agents. Disregarded several stop work orders and there is no building approval from ACTDA. We have it on record that the staff of the department of Development Control were being attacked by contractors when they come to enforce the laws on building.
“The contactors use law enforcement agencies to stop them from going on site inspections and the contractors refuse to go and obtain approvals from the office of ACTDA. They dismiss the stop work marks on those buildings under construction and continue to build.” He said.
