Survivors of a three-storey building that collapsed Saturday morning (yesterday, September 14)Â at Ekosodin in Benin, following a heavy downpour, have narrated their ‘near death’ ordeal.
Akpodeh Oseoghene, one of the survivors, who just graduated from the Science Laboratory Department of UNIBEN, said she saw death and is grateful to God for sparing her life in the disaster.
She said trouble started when the room she shared with another student, Akpordoghor Oghenefega, in the bungalow behind the main building, became flooded during the rain.
“During the rain, our room became flooded to our surprise and the first thing we did was to try and put our belongings on a higher platform but while doing that, the main building collapsed and it affected the bungalow.
“This brought more water into our room and the glass door got broken and injured my roommate who is also receiving treatment at another department at UBTH.
“We saw a little opening and that was where we passed through to safety. The flood may have caused the building to collapse. It was so much. We were even trying to bail the water when the main building collapsed.
“The fourth person, Leonard, got injured when he jumped from the third floor as the building was about to collapse. He is also at UBTH receiving treatment. He sustained the most injury out of the four of us involved in the incident”, she said.
Similarly, a fresh graduate of UNIBEN who lived in the next building and did not disclose his identity, said the incident happened between 7.30 and 8am while it was raining, adding that the flooding may have led to the collapse.
“The rain started around 4am and it became intense at about 7am. The whole street was flooded as indeed some of the houses, especially the ones whose foundations were not high.
“My house was also flooded and we locked our gate but the flood damaged the lock and the water came into our rooms. While we were trying to salvage our belongings, I heard a loud noise only to find out that the building had collapsed, damaging our fence and a room.
“The road is not even passable and its always flooded but the one on Saturday is the most devastating one. I hope the authorities will find a solution,” he said.
