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Three confirmed dead after Accra building collapse
Two women and a man died when a three-story structure used as a church caved in on worshippers in Ghana's capital on Sunday, authorities said. Heavy rainfall preceded the incident, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Rescue efforts and casualties
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak reported that emergency teams rescued 20 people-mostly women and children-who were taken to hospitals for treatment. Search operations continued overnight under floodlights, with officials expressing "90-95% certainty" that no one remained trapped in the rubble.
Mohammed-Mubarak praised responders for their rapid action but noted challenges in determining the exact number of people inside the building at the time of collapse. The national fire service shared images on X (formerly Twitter) showing workers at the site amid a restless crowd.
Eyewitness accounts and structural concerns
Amadu Mohammed Hafiz, who operates a business across from the collapsed building, told the BBC he heard a loud noise before turning to see the structure crumbling. "There was dust; I couldn't see anything," he said. He later heard shouts from inside and alerted police.
Local residents described the building as poorly constructed and long neglected. "Everybody in the community knows the building is very weak, yet they allowed services inside," an unnamed witness said. Hafiz added that the structure "looked like it could fall anytime."
Broader safety debate reignited
The tragedy has renewed concerns about building safety in Ghana, echoing the 2012 collapse of a multi-story shopping center linked to shoddy construction. Ludwing Annang Hesseh, president of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, blamed weak enforcement of existing regulations.
"We have the laws, we have the regulations, and if we do things right, we will not get this problem,"
Ludwing Annang Hesseh, Ghana Institution of Engineering
Operations to clear debris and verify no additional victims remain are ongoing.
Location and background
The building, part of a school in Accra's New Town area, had stood unfinished for years but was still used for religious services, according to locals.
