Five Fearded As Port Warehouse Collapses

Tragedy struck at the Port Hacourt port on Saturday, following the death of five workers in a collapsed warehouse within the premises of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Eastern Ports zone.

The incident which sources said happened at ‘Area A’ of the port, at about five pm on the fateful day, is however generating controversy as it is not immediately clear if the victims were NPA workers or that of Dangote Group.
The collapsed warehouse is said to be an old facility located within the area currently concessioned to Dangote, where the company package salt.

According to sources, the sudden collapse of the warehouse left everyone in pandemonium as help could not be sought to commence immediate rescue of the trapped victims.

An NPA worker who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that five persons were later found in the rubble after a search was conducted several minutes after the collapse.

“It happened on Saturday around 5pm and five persons, who were trapped in the rubble, were found dead,” the source said.

The source further explained that those affected as a result of the incident were not inside the warehouse when the walls caved in, adding that the walls fell and affected the bathroom and toilet close to the warehouse.

“Those that died were around the bathroom and toilet area and the walls that fell affected them. Their bodies were found when the people began to open up blocks and search the rubble,” the source added.

As at press time, the port’s management was yet to disclose the identity of the deceased workers, a situation that further fueled speculations that some of them may have been staffers of Dangote Company.

General Manager, Public Affairs of NPA, Capt Iheanacho Ebubeogu in a telephone chat told our correspondent that his management would soon release a public statement on the unfortunate incident.

“I am currently outside the country and will not be back until upper week. However, we are aware of the unfortunate incident and we are awaiting a report from the general Manger in charge of the Eastern Ports (Mr. Joshua Asanga)” he said.