Five persons have been reported dead in the building collapse at the Oduigbo section of Ochanja Market in Onitsha South Local Government Area.
The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, visited the scene of the incident where he condoled with the victims of the mishap.
It was gathered that three of the five buildings under construction at the market collapsed on Monday evening, trapping several people under the rubble.
So far, twenty-six people have been rescued with five fatalities reported.
While addressing the crowd, Governor Soludo recalled that he had instructed that no shop should be erected in any market in the state without the approval of the Physical Planning Board, and his signature.
Governor Soludo who was visibly emotional, condoled with the victims and their families and promised to assist those affected by the disaster.
He stressed that such an incident is part of the impunity his government is working hard to nip in the bud, cautioning developers against building without an approved plan.
The Governor also pointed out that due to the rascality of the contractor for building without a plan, after the search and rescue efforts, the contractor will be made to remove all the rubbles at his own cost, in addition to facing the full wrath of the law.
He also pledged to work with relevant authorities to ensure that such an unfortunate incident never repeated itself, adding that his administration will take inventory of all the markets in the state while warning that similar ongoing illegal structures in Ose, Ogbo-Ogwu, among others, will be demolished.
Efforts are ongoing to rescue those still trapped under the rubble, hours after the incident. Emergency responders are digging the rubbles to extricate survivors, and recover remains from the collapsed building.
Some survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency medical attention.
The incident has since sparked public outrage in the area, with people expressing concerns over the safety of buildings in the city.
While reacting, many called for an investigation into the structural integrity of buildings in the city, and for more stringent safety regulations to be put in place.
The governor acknowledged the concerns raised by members of the public and promised to set up a committee to fully investigate the incident, assuring residents that the government would take necessary steps to ensure that buildings in the city are safe for habitation.
He called on the public to remain calm and support the ongoing rescue efforts, praising the efforts of emergency responders who risked their lives to save others and urged them to continue the good work.
