Building Collapse: Tenants Escape Death In PH Township

Occupants of an old three-storey building at 112 Bende Street, Old Port Harcourt Township are still counting their losses following the collapse of the building they lived in for many years.
The building which an expert believes was built during the colonial era was until last Wednesday morning, standing at the mercy of the authorities.
Not fewer than 20 tenants were occupying the building when a long truck in a bid to pass pulled a power cable that hung at the roof of the building which led to its final collapse.
Though no lives were lost, the occupants at the second and third floors were trapped in the building for hours as the staircase pulled off and collapsed.
In the quest to save those trapped inside, neighbours had to look for ladders to help rescue those upstairs, since the staircase had fallen off.
One of the occupants, Mrs. Hope Apiafi told The Tide Metro that she was still fast asleep on the fateful day when she heard a loud noise.
Roused by the noise she stepped out of her room to see part of the front part of the building gone down. She was in the second floor and was trapped.
With the house entrance and staircase gone, she raised alarm and neighbours came to her rescue.
She narrated how she could only save her life, while her electronics and household equipment have all gone with the rumbles.
Mrs Apiafi said, she thanked God that her four kids were in her sister’s place when the incident occurred.
While calling on government to come to her rescue, the young lady regretted that for over two years she could not afford paying rent somewhere.
She recalled that experts had four years ago warned them of the integrity of the building, but she had no money to seek new apartment elsewhere.
Claiming that she could only save few clothing and utensils, Apiafi pleaded for assistance stating that she has no job for now.
Another tenant, Boma Bobmanuel said he could only save himself as all his property were lost in the disaster.
Recalling his experience, he stated that the incident happened around 4.30am on Wednesday morning.
Trapped upstairs, since he stayed on the third floor, Mr Bobmanuel was apprehensive that the roof will soon collapse on him.
Neighbours came to his rescue as he was given a ladder to get out of the building fast.
He told The Tide Metro that he did not pick a pin from his room, as he was after his life first.
Not long after he came out from the building that the front side finally caved in.
Bobmanuel did not incur an injury, but said he was stranded and wanted public support.
He said to have lost his job, hence, has to stay in the dilapidated building to have a shelter over his head.
But a senior government official from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development told The Tide Metro that the building had been marked unsafe for the past four years.
The senior government official, who supervised the final demolition of the property last Thursday revealed that many of such buildings abound in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor metropolis.
While pleading anonymity, the high government official said, a survey carried out by the Ministry, indicates that many buildings in the city are old and need to be demolished.
He noted that in the past three years, the state has recorded many building collapse and the need to rid the state of such dangers.
Once the state executive gives orders, he revealed that the ministry will swing into action.
The official advised property owners to always do maintenance on their buildings, especially old ones.
An engineer, who spoke to The Tide Metro, Mr Amadasun George said most of the buildings in old Port Harcourt Township were built during the colonial period and therefore needed renovation or outright demolition.
Explaining what happened on the building at 112 Bende Street, the engineer stated that some years back, the property had shown signs of aging.
In 2014, for instance, Mr George recalled that the chimney of the building had fallen off.
He further explained that what saved the tenants was that the builders of the property detached the staircase and did not fortify it with pillars, and as such it fell without pulling the structure along with it.
Much before now, when the rear side of the property collapsed, Ministry officials had to mark it down for danger, and warned residents.

By: Kevin Nengia