On a fateful Friday evening, tragedy struck in the Umeh Agric quarters, located behind No. 4 Mgbemena road in Coal camp, Enugu. The cause was the collapse of an illegal retaining fence, brought down by heavy rainfall, claiming the lives of no less than four siblings.
This heart-wrenching incident unfolded around 4 pm, as the poorly constructed fence succumbed to the elements, crashing down onto a building nestled in a valley behind it. Among the survivors was Jennifer Okoye, who fortunately escaped harm due to being at work during the calamity. Her room, however, suffered substantial damage from the wreckage.
The young lives lost in this unfortunate event were those of siblings aged between 8 and 15 years. Their mother, a petty trader named Modester Okereke, was absent when the tragedy unfolded. One of the children remained hospitalized, and the mother remained unaware of the devastating loss of her children. The remnants of one victim’s body were still trapped amidst the rubble.
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In a separate development, the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) took action against a property development near Onitsha quarters, close to New Market. This development had encroached on a waterway, resulting in flooding during the heavy rainfall on that fateful Friday. The ECTDA promptly sealed the affected residences, including the site of the tragic incident, as well as other illegal developments in Independence Layout, Enugu.
ECTDA Chairman Hon Uche Anya, who visited the affected sites, expressed his dismay at the situation. The collapsed building, originally approved for animal husbandry, had been converted into a residence with 44 rooms. It was a dangerous structure, unfit for human habitation. Anya lamented the loss of innocent lives, emphasizing that the construction was irresponsible and inexcusable.
He pledged that the agency would intensify efforts to educate the public about the importance of living in safe environments to prevent such tragedies in the future. Under his leadership, the ECTDA’s Compliance unit would ensure that landlords and contractors strictly adhere to approved plans, preventing such disastrous occurrences from happening again.
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