Two persons are feared dead following an incident involving the manual evacuation of an underground sewage tank in Aba, Abia State.
The incident reportedly occurred around midnight on Monday, August 10, 2026, at No. 10 Power Line, off Omuma Road, Aba, while the victims were engaged in the evacuation operation.
Details surrounding the incident remain sketchy, while the identities of the two persons were yet to be confirmed as of Tuesday.
Following the incident, officials of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) sealed the affected building on Tuesday morning as investigations commenced and necessary safety measures were put in place.
The circumstances that led to the suspected deaths have not been fully established, but the incident has renewed concerns over the dangers associated with manually entering underground sewage and septic tanks.
ASEPA subsequently warned residents against attempting to enter or manually evacuate underground sewage or septic tanks, stressing the potential dangers involved.
The agency urged members of the public to engage qualified professionals and appropriate safety personnel whenever such tanks require evacuation or maintenance.
Authorities are expected to continue investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the identities of those involved.
