Telecom mast, signage pole collapse, kills 3 in Port Harcourt

Three people, including a teenage girl and her little brother, died when a telecommunications mast and a signage pole fell at the Mile 3 axis of Port Harcourt.

The structures collapsed following a torrential rain, claiming the lives of the 16-year-old girl and her little brother while their mother Mrs Eucheria Charles escaped unhurt.

An eye witness said, ‘the signboard also hit coach on his head,’ referring to the third victim as coach, the deceased’s identity in the community. “We don’t just understand how the thing happened. Everything was very fast.”

Commenting on the incident when he visited the scene of the disaster, Chukwudi Dimkpa, managing director, Rivers State Signage and Advertising Agency, said the signage pole fell upon impact by the telecoms mast, possibly because the signage post was not firmly rooted.

Dimkpa revealed that many signage poles in Port Harcourt were not properly maintained, adding that effort would be intensified to inspect other signage poles in the state.

“Almost all the practitioners are aware of what it means for a pole to collapse. We have been harping on proper maintenance.
“It is unfortunate that this incident happened when the rain was falling. We sympathize with the families of those that lost their loved ones.

“We will investigate what actually happened to that signage pole and take the necessary actions,” he added.