A four-storey building under construction and reportedly being developed as a hotel has collapsed in Enugu City, leaving six construction workers feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning, triggering panic among residents and passersby as emergency responders and local residents rushed to the scene to search for the trapped workers.
The workers were reportedly sleeping inside the uncompleted building when the structure suddenly gave way, bringing down a huge portion of the building and burying those inside.
Four of the workers have so far been rescued, while the body of one person has been recovered from the rubble.
The Enugu State Capital Territory authorities said the rescued workers were receiving treatment at the Enugu State Teaching Hospital.
The authorities also disclosed that one of the six workers believed to have been sleeping at the site had left the building shortly before the collapse, raising hopes that the number of people actually trapped beneath the debris may be lower than initially feared.
Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collapse produced a loud sound that attracted hundreds of people to the area, with residents joining emergency personnel in efforts to locate and rescue the victims.
The extensive debris from the collapsed structure has, however, made the rescue operation difficult as emergency workers continue to search through the rubble.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the Police are currently involved in the rescue operation.
Authorities have yet to disclose the cause of the collapse, while rescue efforts are continuing at the site.
