Two people died and three were rescued following the Sunday night collapse of Elite Five Star Lodge, a three-story hostel near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko in Amaokpala, Anambra State.
The 60-room building caved in without warning, trapping an unknown number of occupants—mostly students—under the rubble for hours before help arrived.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud, sudden bang just moments before the structure crumbled into debris.
“We heard a very loud noise before the building collapsed. The noise attracted many residents and students, who rushed to the area to see what had happened.
“Within moments after the loud noise, people started shouting for help as the building came crashing down,” she said.
Footage circulating on social media captured intense scenes at the site, where onlookers watched rescue teams, police, and brave volunteers race against time.
A massive joint response team—spanning NEMA, SEMA, the Nigerian Red Cross, the Anambra Fire Service, and law enforcement—converged on the collapse site early Monday morning.
Heavy excavators cut through the wreckage while security operatives secured the perimeter to give emergency crews space to work.
The atmosphere remained fraught with tension as students and locals looked on until nightfall, when responders tragically recovered another male body from the debris, raising the fatality count to two.
Mrs. Ndidi Omega, Acting Executive Secretary of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the recovery of the female victim’s body and said three injured persons had earlier been rescued and taken to hospital.
She said: “One female body was recovered, while three persons were rescued and taken to the hospital. The rescue operation will continue until every section of the debris has been thoroughly searched.”
The Head of Media and Publicity of the Anambra State Fire Service, Chukwudi Chiketa, also confirmed the development.
“Upon arrival at the scene, fire service personnel immediately commenced search and rescue operations in collaboration with other emergency responders.
“Regrettably, one female victim was recovered from the rubble. She was confirmed dead at the scene, and her body was evacuated and handed over to the appropriate authorities for deposition in a morgue.
“Search and rescue operations are still ongoing to determine whether any other persons remain trapped beneath the debris.
“The cause of the building collapse was yet to be determined and remains under investigation,” Chiketa said.
He urged members of the public to stay away from the area to enable emergency officers to carry out their duties safely.
However, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, has appealed for calm, saying officers had secured the scene immediately after receiving the distress call.
“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 added that rescue operations were ongoing to determine whether more victims remained trapped, noting that the total number of casualties could not yet be confirmed.
“Some injured victims have been rescued from the debris and taken to a hospital in Oko, where they are receiving treatment.
“Residents are advised to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and stay away from the scene to allow emergency responders unrestricted access,” he added.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has sealed off the premises of the collapsed building.
A NEMA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the action was necessary to facilitate uninterrupted rescue operations and enable investigators to determine the cause of the collapse.
“The building has been sealed with red tape and barricaded to restrict movement around the premises. Before now, some students and residents were loitering around the site, thereby distracting rescue workers.”