Couple, 3 Children, Grandmother Die as Overhead Water Tank Falls on Building
- A fallen head tank crushed a building in Enugu's Awgu LGA on Friday, killing at least six people including a couple, their three children, and their grandmother
- The tragedy was made worse by a landslide that cut off the Nenwenta community, preventing emergency responders from reaching victims in time
- An Enugu lawmaker raised a motion of urgent public importance in the state assembly and called on NEMA and the Ministry of Works to act immediately
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Enugu State - At least six people, among them a couple, their three children, and their grandmother, died on Friday, September 18, 2026, after a head tank toppled onto their home in Nenwenta, a community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Residents said heavy rainfall triggered landslides in the area, and the force of the water caused the tank to collapse, completely destroying the structure beneath it.
As reported by Premium Times, a video obtained from the scene showed residents pulling bodies from the rubble.
One survivor, a four-year-old child, was pulled out alive after neighbours rushed to the site.
Landslide cuts off community
The deaths came as a landslide severed road access between Nenwenta and the rest of Enugu State, leaving residents stranded.
Community members said they now have to travel through Abia and Imo States to reach other parts of Enugu, adding significant distance and difficulty to everyday movement.
The blocked access also meant emergency responders could not reach the community quickly enough after the tank fell.
Lawmaker raises motion in state assembly
Anthony Nwankwo, a member of the Enugu State House of Assembly who represents Awgu South State Constituency, said the delayed response by emergency services directly contributed to the loss of lives.
He said the situation moved him to raise a motion of urgent public importance before the House, urging swift government intervention.
"I appeal to the Enugu State Ministry of Works and the National Emergency Management Agency to urgently mobilise resources and technical support to address the ecological challenge," Nwankwo said.
He also offered his condolences to the families of those killed and called for the government to maintain its focus on the affected communities until road access and safety were "fully restored."
Mother, 4 children die in building collapse
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that a three-storey building collapsed at Popo Giwa Street in Ilorin, Kwara State, trapping eight family members under the rubble.
The five victims, a mother and four children, were buried according to Islamic rites as relatives gathered to pay condolences.
The head of the family confirmed they have vacated the building, which failed an integrity test, and plan to pull it down.
Source: Legit.ng
