10 dead as building collapses
2005-05-25 15:57
Lagos - At least 10 people were killed and several others trapped when a building collapsed in Nigeria's southern oil city of Port Harcourt, police said on Wednesday.
The four-storey building under construction on Sani Abacha road in the city centre suddenly caved in on Tuesday, killing at least 10 construction workers, police spokesperson Barasua Ireju said.
"A number of others are still trapped under the rubble. More bodies may still be found as rescue operations are continuing," she added.
State governor Peter Odili visited the scene shortly after the incident and has ordered an inquiry.
Ireju said rescue efforts were hampered on Tuesday because of the swampy nature of the area. "One of the cranes sent to assist evacuation efforts sank because the place was muddy," she explained.
She said the owner of the building would be prosecuted if it was discovered he had used sub-standard materials.