160 killed in Nigerian church roof collapse
WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — A hospital director says 160 people were killed when a church roof collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria.
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- This picture taken on December 10, 2016 shows people walking through the wreckage after an evangelical church roof collapsed on worshipers in the remote southeastern city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state. The search for survivors continued after a church roof collapsed killing at least 60 people, with many more feared dead. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- This picture taken on December 10, 2016 shows the wreckage after an evangelical church roof collapsed on worshipers in the remote southeastern city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state. The search for survivors continued after a church roof collapsed killing at least 60 people, with many more feared dead. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- This picture taken on December 10, 2016 shows an injured man sitting amid rubble at the scene after an evangelical church roof collapsed on worshipers in the remote southeastern city of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom state. The search for survivors continued after a church roof collapsed killing at least 60 people, with many more feared dead. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A victim of the collapsed Reigners Bible Church International building receives treatment at the university teaching hospital in Uyo, Nigeria, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday.(AP Photo)
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- Victims of the collapsed Reigners Bible Church International building receive treatment at the university teaching hospital in Uyo, Nigeria, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
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- A overview of the Reigners Bible Church International that collapsed in the city of Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. The roof collapsed Saturday as some hundreds gathered for the consecration of founder Akan Weeks as its bishop. (AP Photo/Chukwuemeka Nwaneri)
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- A view of the Reigners Bible Church International that collapsed in the city of Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. The roof collapsed Saturday as some hundreds gathered for the consecration of founder Akan Weeks as its bishop. (AP Photo/Chukwuemeka Nwaneri)
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- Security men at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
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- A woman stands to look at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
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- People gathered at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
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- In this image made from video taken on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, local people survey the scene after a church roof collapsed in Uyo, Nigeria. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday’s tragedy, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press. (Ukeme Eyibio via AP)
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- A victim of the collapsed Reigners Bible Church International building receives treatment at the university teaching hospital in Uyo, Nigeria, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
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- Victims of the collapsed Reigners Bible Church International building receive treatment at the university teaching hospital in Uyo, Nigeria, Monday, Dec. 12, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo)
Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital said mortuaries are overflowing and the final death toll likely will be much higher. Youth leader Edikan Peters said many other victims are in private mortuaries scattered all over the city of Uyo.
Congregants said the Reigners Bible Church was still under construction when it was crowded with worshippers to ordain a bishop on Saturday. Metal girders crashed and the corrugated iron roof caved in.
The state government said it will investigate to see if building standards were compromised.
In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos. A coroner blamed structural faults.
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