Panic in Port Harcourt as Three-Storey Building Collapses, Traps Construction Workers

A three-storey building under construction collapsed on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, trapping several construction workers beneath the rubble and triggering an emergency rescue operation.

The incident occurred behind Eternal Filling Station, opposite Chief Sam Ngbor Avenue, off the busy Peter Odili Road in the state capital.

Eyewitnesses said workers were on site when the structure suddenly gave way, leaving many feared trapped under the debris.

Residents in the area raised the alarm and called for immediate intervention as emergency responders rushed to the scene to begin search-and-rescue efforts.

Officials of relevant emergency agencies arrived shortly after the collapse and commenced operations to locate and evacuate victims from the wreckage.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, ASP Grace Iringe-Koko, said at least two persons had been rescued and taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

She added that rescue efforts were still ongoing to determine whether more people remained trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

As of the time of filing this report, no fatalities had been officially confirmed, while the exact cause of the building collapse remained unclear.

The Rivers State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

The latest collapse has renewed concerns over compliance with building regulations and safety standards at construction sites across the country, amid recurring incidents of structural failures that have claimed lives and destroyed property in recent years.

Rescue operations were still underway as emergency personnel continued efforts to account for all workers believed to have been on the site when the building came down.