No fewer than three persons are feared dead following the collapse of the shooting range structure under construction at the multiple sports complex of the Stephen Keshi International Stadium in Asaba, Delta State.
Scores of others were injured and rushed to an undisclosed hospital with one of the site workers whom eyewitnesses said may not survive the fatality, as iron already casted for the roofing purportedly fell on him, wounding him beyond recognition.
Among the dead, it was gathered, were construction workers at the site of the building.
The two-storey is under construction in preparation for the 21st National Sports Festival (NSF) to be hosted at the stadium from November 28, this year.
Recall that the collapsed building was recently inspected by the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, who gave a pass mark, saying that the facilities were 80% ready for use.
However, some structural engineers expressed concerns over the speed at which the construction was going, doubting the integrity of the buildings under construction.
It was observed that the iron met for the roofing may have been weightier than the block due to the rush, resulting into the collapse of the building.
In another viral video on Facebook, a young man who seems to be among the construction workers, said two persons broke their legs.
However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), to the Governor, Olisa Ifeajika, who nearly attacked The Story, Editor-in-chief, Kenneth Orusi, for breaking the news of the collapse structure, denied any death.
It took the efforts of colleagues who prevented the visibly angry CPS from hatching what was on his mind.
He debunked the news of death, while fielding questions from the Punch Correspondent in Asaba.
According to him when the Punch correspondent accosted the Chief Press Secretary at the stadium, Mr. Ifeajika said it was a minor incident and not as severe as speculated.
He said, “Nobody died, nobody injured it is a section of the multi-purpose sports hall and shooting range storey building that caved in as a result of the crane”.
Contradicting the CPS, whether there was injury, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, said: “One person sustained minor injury and has since been treated and they have returned to work” he said.
It would be recall that The Story, had earlier reported that a structure under construction ahead of the National Sports Festival scheduled to hold at the Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, collapsed.
