Five workers are believed to be trapped under a collapsed three-storey building in the Umumbi Autonomous Community of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Abia State according to The Nation report.

The building fell on Friday afternoon while the workers were on site. Eyewitnesses reported that three carpenters working on the roof survived the collapse.

However, three workers on the ground floor, who were plastering at the time, were buried under the rubble. Among the trapped workers are two brothers who had just arrived at the construction site the previous day and began working less than eight hours before the incident.

The building’s owner is reportedly outside the country, leaving the project under the supervision of his siblings.

A building expert, Engr. Chinedu Okwara, suggested that the collapse might have been caused by the use of substandard materials and the lack of a qualified and certified building engineer.

He stressed the importance of using proper materials and professional supervision in construction projects to prevent such tragedies.

The chairman of Ukwa West Local Government Area, Newman Azu, confirmed the collapse during a telephone interview.

Azu stated that he was at the site with his team and that efforts were underway to bring heavy-duty equipment to begin excavation and rescue those trapped in the rubble.

“We are working as quickly as possible to bring in heavy-duty equipment to start excavation and hopefully rescue the trapped workers,” Azu said.