At least three people, including two women and a man, have died after a three-storey building being used as a church collapsed on worshippers in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak confirmed that 20 others, mostly women and children, were rescued and are receiving treatment in various hospitals. He added that there is “90-95% certainty that we no longer [have] any persons [trapped].”
Emergency teams worked through the night under floodlights to search the rubble for victims. The cause of the collapse, which occurred after heavy rain, remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine why the building gave way.
Locals said the structure, located in Accra’s New Town area, was part of a school and had been unfinished for several years. Despite this, it was being used for church services. An eyewitness described the building as “very weak” and poorly maintained, adding that the community had long been aware of its unsafe condition.
“What we can say is that there was a total of 23 people… It’s a very sad day for all of us,” Mohammed-Mubarak said. He also commended emergency responders for their rapid actions, noting that initial reports had confirmed only two deaths and 14 rescued, but figures were later updated to reflect 20 people rescued.
The national fire service shared images on X showing rescue operations as a crowd gathered anxiously around the scene. Eyewitnesses reported hearing trapped victims calling for help under the rubble.
Authorities are continuing to clear debris and check for any additional victims. The incident has reignited concerns about the structural integrity of some buildings in Ghana, recalling the 2012 collapse of a multi-storey shopping centre that was blamed on poor construction.
This tragedy has raised urgent questions about building safety standards and the use of unfinished structures for public gatherings in the country.
Melissa Enoch
Follow us on:
