By Chinedu Ohakwem
Four siblings lost their lives, on Friday, when a building collapsed at Agric Quarters in Mgbemena Road, Coal Camp in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State
The deceased siblings, it was gathered, were between eight and 15 years old.
The chairperson of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, Uche Anya, who visited the area on Saturday, said the building was approved for animal husbandry but was converted to residential.
Mr Anya said the building was not healthy for human habitation and should not have been occupied by the residents .
“As soon as we got the intelligence, we rushed to the place. Four children died in the episode. Apparently, they claim that they are doing animal husbandry and poultry there, but it turned out that there are rooms that human beings are occupying and there must have been a population of over 200 people there,” he said.
“The fence was totally unacceptable. Nobody does that and, unfortunately, the people who died in the tragedy are innocent children and it is very painful,” Mr Anya added.
The chairperson said the agency would continue to sensitise residents of the state on the need to live in a more conducive environment to avoid future occurrence.
He vowed that the agency’s compliance unit would ensure that structures built by landlords and contractors adhered strictly to approval plans.
He subsequently ordered residents of the collapsed building and four other buildings close to the area to immediately vacate the buildings.
(PremiumNews)
