GHANA: Building collapses in Ghana's capital, Accra, killing one person and leaving dozens of people trapped inside

Record ID: 216345

  • Title: GHANA: Building collapses in Ghana's capital, Accra, killing one person and leaving dozens of people trapped inside
  • Date: 7th November 2012
  • Summary: ACCRA, GHANA (NOVEMBER 7, 2012) (REUTERS) POLICE CLEARING PATH FOR AMBULANCE RESCUE TEAM PUTTING INJURED MAN IN AMBULANCE MAN CUTTING AN IRON BAR TO HELP RESCUE PEOPLE FIREMEN AT SCENE VARIOUS OF EXCAVATOR REMOVING DEBRIS POLICE AT SCENE VARIOUS OF EXCAVATOR REMOVING DEBRIS WIDE OF STREET NEAR COLLAPSE, TRAFFIC (SOUNDBITE) (Twi) LABOURER, ISAAC, SAYING: "They were havi
  • Embargoed: 22nd November 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ghana
  • Country: Ghana
  • Topics: Accidents
  • Reuters ID: LVA1AO0O4ZPFG0536OFKX16P2ZHC
  • Story Text: A four-storey building housing a department store in Ghana's capital Accra collapsed on Wednesday (November 7), killing at least one person and trapping dozens inside, emergency officials and witnesses said.
    Rescue workers pulled at least six people from the rubble, one of them dead and the rest injured, as large crowds gathered to watch.
    Excavators were trying to lift and remove the building's broken beams and concrete blocks.
    A labourer named Isaac, who was working nearby at the time of the collapse, said he was hit by falling debris.

    "They were having morning prayers and I was servicing an air conditioner, and the managers asked me to put the banner outside because they were going to have a sale today. Before I knew it, a pillar hit me and I fell here, that is what I saw."
    Melcom Ltd., which runs Ghana's largest chain of retail department stores, said it rented the building in the suburb of Achimota and opened its store there about six months ago.
    Emergency officials at the scene said the collapse was likely caused by structural failure.
    A spokesman for President John Dramani Mahama said he was cutting short a campaigning tour in the north of the country for December elections to focus on the rescue efforts.
    END
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register