Anambra Building Collapse: Several Trapped as Three-Storey Lodge Crashes in Oko, Rescue Operations Continue

Emergency responders are racing against time after a three-storey building collapsed in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving several occupants trapped beneath the rubble.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, caved in late Sunday beside Tonimas Filling Station in the Amaokpala area near Oko. Rescue teams have since been working to locate and evacuate victims, although authorities are yet to confirm the number of people affected.

The Anambra State Police Command said it activated a joint emergency response immediately after receiving reports of the incident. Security personnel cordoned off the area to prevent further danger while coordinating rescue efforts with other emergency agencies.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said officers worked alongside the Anambra State Fire Service and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to search the collapsed structure for survivors.

“The incident resulted in some occupants being trapped beneath the rubble, and on receipt of the distress report, the Police, in collaboration with other security agencies, immediately mobilised to the scene, secured the area to prevent further danger, and coordinated rescue efforts,” Ikenga said.

He confirmed that several injured occupants had already been pulled from the debris and taken to a hospital in Oko, where they are receiving treatment. However, rescue teams remain on site as fears persist that more people could still be trapped beneath the collapsed building.

Authorities said it was too early to determine the number of casualties or the total number of victims involved, stressing that search and rescue operations would continue until the site is fully cleared.

The police have urged residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and stay away from the scene to allow emergency workers unrestricted access as the operation continues.