Three people have been confirmed dead and 20 others hospitalised following the collapse of a three-storey building at Accra New Town, Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has announced.
The tragic incident occurred on Sunday at an uncompleted structure within the premises of the Accra New Town Experimental Basic School. The building, which was also being used by a Christian congregation for worship, suddenly gave way, trapping several occupants under the rubble.
Initial reports indicated two fatalities, but authorities have since revised the figure to three after further verification.
Rescue efforts stretched into the night, with emergency responders working tirelessly under floodlights to search for survivors. Teams from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the National Ambulance Service were all deployed to the scene.
Addressing the media, the Interior Minister explained that officials took careful steps to confirm the casualty numbers before making them public.
“So far, information that has been cross-checked, double-checked, [and] visited all the hospitals, just to be sure that we don’t give any information that may be far away from the fact,” he said.
He also praised the dedication of emergency teams, particularly the ambulance service, for their swift and sustained response.
“The Ambulance Service and their team have been here the whole night, and they’ve done a wonderful job. We are really grateful,” he added.
Providing a clearer picture of the situation, the Minister revealed that a total of 23 people were affected by the collapse.
“What we can say is that there was a total of 23 people. Unfortunately, we’ve lost three — a male and two females. They’re not able to tell names for now,” he disclosed.
The injured victims have been transported to various health facilities across Accra, where they are currently receiving treatment.
Authorities are expected to begin investigations into the cause of the collapse, as concerns grow over the safety of uncompleted buildings being used for public activities.
