Victor Ezeja
Three persons trapped in the five-storey building that collapsed at Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS) in Onitsha, Anambra State, have been rescued.
According to a statement signed by Chijioke Ojji, Director of Operations, DMGS Centenary, the building that was still under construction collapsed at about 1:00 AM on Wednesday, 12th June 2024.
He said three persons were initially trapped but one was rescued on Wednesday evening. The remaining two were later rescued at night.
Briefing further on the situation, Mr Ojji said no student or member of staff was affected as they are on mid-term holiday and there was also no impact on nearby buildings.
He said the school management has hired equipment to lift and move the rubble and also continues search and rescue operations.
The rescue operation was carried out by the Anambra State Government officials and members of the Red Cross Society.
Ojji further revealed that while the government deployed Police for crowd control, they are having a challenge of getting sniffer dogs to support the search and rescue operation, as the police, both in Anambra and surrounding states do not have.
“Our priority remains to ensure the safety of everyone involved, provide medical assistance, and secure the site,” Ojji stated.
He assured that the school is willing to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse, adding that Chairman of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board (ANSPPB) visited the site and “initiated the statutory collation of information.
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“We are committed to providing support to affected individuals and their families
“DMGS will rise from this disaster. Following the investigations, the cornerstone will be to conduct a thorough review of the incident, identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
He said that any lessons learnt from the investigation “will be rigorously applied to ensure the highest safety standards and quality construction.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
