Buea: Collapsed storey building kills one, injures four, destroys property.

It also left at least four persons injured.It was gathered that the victim, Janet Massa, was killed after an object fell on her as the building collapsed. 

The collapsed house had more than 10 occupants, according to accounts from family members. 

Speaking to The Guardian Post after the incident, Ewu Larisa Massa, daughter of the late Janet Massa, explained that she was reading and preparing for her exams when she heard the noise. 

Ewu said she initially thought it was a thief who had visited the area to loot. 

“I woke up my mother who was sleeping. It was at that moment that the house collapsed,” she recounted, adding that aside the objects that fell on her mother, she also suffered from electric shocks as a result of the incident. 

The woman’s corpse, the daughter disclosed, has been deposited at the Buea Regional Hospital annex morgue pending removal and burial.

The other victims who survived with serious injuries are receiving treatment at the Buea Regional Hospital Annex.

Meanwhile, one Tambo Maurice, who lived in a room in the same house that collapsed, explained that just one person died in the incident because not everybody was sleeping. 

Tambo said he was already up to watch past football matches before he got the noise that resulted in the collapse.

Immediately it collapsed, Tambo said he tried to wake up family members and ferried them for safety. 

“I went out to ease myself after which I decided to watch some past matches on TV. Lying on the chair, I heard some noise, which just got so loud and violent and suddenly everything collapsed. I immediately got up and shouted, everybody was trying to get up I started gradually taking my children, and sending them outside since everyone was still sleeping,” he recounted.

The collapse of the structure, commentators have stated, portrays the precarious nature of houses in Buea, where rents keep skyrocketing every year. 

On site to inspect the collapsed building, staff of the Regional Delegation of Housing and Urban Development declined talking to journalists.

The officials told prying newsmen that it was not within their competence to comment on the issue given the recent drive towards decentralisation.