No fewer than four people were injured on Tuesday evening following the collapse of a storey building in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The building, which was under construction, suddenly collapsed while many of the construction workers were inside.

The building, situated at the popular Cathedral Junction, beside the former secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) along Oyemekun Road within the metropolis, had been under construction for the past six months before the incident occurred at around 3:30pm.

Following the incident, passers-by and sympathisers trooped to the scene to help rescue those trapped under the debris. Men of the Federal Fire Service were said to have arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

According to sources, some of the workers who sustained injuries of varying degrees were rushed to the hospital, where they were promptly attended to by medical personnel.

Some of the sources reported that two people who were among the workers on site are still missing.

One of the sources, who gave his name as Dapo, stated, “I was riding my bike around Cathedral Junction when I suddenly heard a loud noise. On looking back, my passenger and I saw a massive crowd of people rushing to the area.”

“I assisted people at the scene to rescue some of those who were caught in the collapse. They were the workers there, and they were seriously injured.”

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sunday Olajide, who rushed to the scene, said an investigation will be launched to uncover both the immediate and long-term causes of the incident.

Olajide, who issued a stern warning to developers in the state about the use of substandard building materials, urged them to prioritise the safety of residents, adding that developers must secure the necessary permits and approvals before commencing construction projects.

Meanwhile, the state government has sealed off the site and vowed to take further action based on the investigation’s outcome.