One person was feared dead yesterday when a church building belonging to the Lords’ Chosen Charismatic Movement collapsed in Asaba, Delta State. Besides the victim, three others sustained injuries. Four construction workers on the church premises were allegedly trapped before they were rescued and rushed to St. Rebecca Hospital.
One of them, Obiora Ikechukwu (20), reportedly died in the hospital. The structure, a storey building which was under construction, played host to over 1,000 worshippers, without counting children, who escaped death by a whisker when the building caved in.
The building, one the survivors said, was under construction as the Regional Headquarters of the church, located on Jarret Street in Asaba metropolis. The building also harbours other smaller Mission Houses, and a temporary structure being used by members as a worshipping ground, pending the completion of the main church hall.
The frontal part of the church building collapsed completely even as other parts of the church went down. When our correspondent visited the scene, worshippers were surrounded by sympathisers and residents of the area, discussing the development.
A sympathiser, Madam Nwankonam, thanked God that the incident did not occur during a Sunday service. She said: “The number of casualties would have been high.” A senior pastor in the church, who refused to mention his name, said about four persons who were working on the building sustained injuries.
New Telegraph
