A man and his four children escaped death in Anambra State Wednesday night following the collapse of a two-storey beside their residence.
The building situated along the bypass Amawbia, Awka South local government area collapsed around 11 pm.
The residential- cum- business building collapsed when residents were asleep.
The Nation gathered the collapse was due to heavy rain and thunderstorm on Wednesday night.
One of the neighbors close to the building, Mr Augustine Ikeji, confirmed the building collapsed following a heavy thunderstorm.
According to him: “The debris fell on me and four of my children while we were sleeping in our room close to the collapsed portion of the building.
“Some of my property were destroyed including my wares, while my kids sustained varying degrees of injury and were later rushed to the hospital.”
Another resident, who preferred anonymity, blamed the collapse on the use of inferior building materials by the developer.
Speaking shortly after sealing the premises, the Managing Director, Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Amaechi Okwuosa, said the structure did not meet building standards.
He said: “Though the owner may have gotten approval more than fifteen years ago, the structure was substandard and did not meet the building standards.
“Despite efforts by the agency to make the owner stop work, he went ahead to build at night with substandard materials which led to the total collapse.