Three dead, 18 rescued as church building collapses in Delta (updated)

An unconfirmed number of children are said to be trapped in the rubble of a building that collapsed in Okpanam, Oshimili North LGA, Delta state, on Tuesday.

The building, said to house the Salvation Ministries branch in the area, collapsed while worshippers were holding a service.

In several videos which have gone viral, some persons, including children, have been rescued.

Officials of the Red Cross, fire service, and security agencies are still on the ground as rescue operations continue.

A bulldozer is also at the scene digging through the rubble.

Some of the worshippers, passersby and sympathisers could be heard praying and crying.

Edafe Bright, Delta state police spokesman, who confirmed the incident to TheCable, said 18 persons have so far been rescued.

“We just left the scene now. 18 people so far have been rescued and so far,” he said.

”Rescue Operation is over, 18 person rescued initially, four person’s discharged, 11 person’s still receiving treatment, three deaths recorded which includes two female children and one woman, their names unknown for now, kindly debunk the rumours making rounds that ten people died, that’s not correct.”