Fallen Water Tank Kills Family of 5 in Enugu, Police Take Action on House Owner
- Enugu police arrested the owner of a building whose concrete water tank reservoir collapsed on a neighbouring house in Awgu Local Government Area
- The tank fell on the home of Raphael Onwu on September 18, killing five members of his family including his wife, mother, and two children
- Enugu State Commissioner of Police Bitrus Giwa ordered an investigation into the incident and urged the public to comply with approved construction safety standards
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Enugu State Police have arrested the owner of a property whose concrete water tank reservoir collapsed onto a neighbouring house in Nenwenta community, Awgu Local Government Area, killing five members of a family on September 18.
The state police spokesperson, Superintendent Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrest in a statement released on Thursday night. He identified the detained property owner as Onyedikachi Nkwo.
Source: Getty Images
How the tragedy unfolded
Ndukwe said the command received reports of the incident at around 5:00 a.m. on September 18, with officers reaching the scene by 5:45 a.m. According to him, a reservoir attached to an uncompleted building gave way and crashed onto the adjoining house belonging to a neighbour, Raphael Onwu.
Onwu, his wife, his mother, and two of his children died in the collapse. A 9-year-old boy who was also in the house survived and was taken to hospital for treatment by officers from the Awgu Division. Personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency and community members supported the rescue operation.
"The five deceased family members were recovered and taken to the hospital, where they were confirmed dead before their remains were deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy," Ndukwe said.
Police investigation under way
The Commissioner of Police, Bitrus Giwa, has ordered a full investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Giwa also extended his condolences to the victims' relatives and the wider community.
He assured the public that appropriate action would follow once the investigation concludes, and called on Nigerians to avoid unsafe construction practices, urging compliance with approved safety standards and the use of qualified professionals for any building work.
Source: Legit.ng
