A woman and her 14-year-old daughter have died after a three-storey building under construction collapsed onto their home in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Wednesday night, October 7, 2026.

The incident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. in the Anata Anaba area, trapping the victims inside a neighbouring bungalow. Other people caught in the rubble were rescued by emergency responders and taken to hospital.

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Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, confirmed the incident during a visit to the scene, describing the collapsed structure as an illegal building for which authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice.

The victims were identified as the landlady of the bungalow and her 14-year-old daughter, who were reportedly in a bedroom when the building came down.

The woman’s son, Chimobi, said three members of the family were inside the apartment when the incident occurred, but he was outside at the time.

“I was outside at the time of the incident. But my mother and my sister were in the bedroom when the building collapsed directly on them, leaving them with no opportunity to escape,” he said.

An eyewitness said emergency responders mobilised to the scene to evacuate victims, adding that some people trapped in the rubble were rescued and taken to hospital.

Residents reportedly heard loud cracking sounds shortly before the structure collapsed.

Residents claimed that concerns had been raised about the suitability of the waterlogged land for a three-storey building.

According to their account, an engineer initially engaged on the project had advised that the structure should not exceed two floors because of the condition of the land.

They alleged that the advice was ignored and another engineer was subsequently brought in to continue the construction.

Chimobi also said residents had previously warned the builder about the potential danger posed by the structure, but their concerns were not heeded.

The allegations had not been independently verified in the report.

Ojukwu said the building was unauthorised and blamed the collapse on negligence and the use of substandard construction materials.

“The structure was an illegal building and we had ordered its demolition and the land is going to be forfeited to the state government,” he said.

The commissioner added that the government was investigating other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.

The latest incident has renewed concerns about building safety, compliance with planning regulations and the risks associated with construction on land that may be unsuitable for multi-storey structures.