A woman and two girls have been confirmed dead after a church building collapsed at Okpanam community in Oshimili North Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.
The building housing Salvation Ministry in Okpanam, collapsed around 5:55pm on Tuesday January 11, during a service.
Eighteen persons have been rescued unhurt while four persons were taken to the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Delta, Bright Edafe, confirmed the number of casualties, saying 18 other people trapped in the rubble were rescued.
While it is unclear if those rescued are all children, Edafe also confirmed that the search and rescue operations were over.
According to him, 15 of those rescued were injured and four of them have been discharged while the remaining 11 people are still receiving treatment.
As soon as the incident occurred, officials of the red cross and fire service, as well as security operatives were said to have raced to the scene.
Delta Government officials, including Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Chief Patrick Ukah; Commissioner for Health, Dr Ononye Mordi were also at the scene where community youths and a team of policemen were mobilised for rescue operations.
Search and rescue operations began thereafter, leading to the recovery of the survivors from the rubble, but not with three lives lost.
Meanwhile, sources say the Deputy Governor of the state, Kingsley Otuaro, is scheduled to visit the site of the building collapse.
