North Industrial Area building collapse: • 2 dead, 3 rescued • Veep calls for enforcement of regulations
Two persons have been confirmed dead, while three others have been rescued after a two-storey building collapsed at Avenor in the North Industrial Area, Kaneshie, in the Greater Accra Region in the early hours of yesterday. The collapse also affected a mosque, flattening it in the process. Rescue efforts being carried out by the 48 … The post North Industrial Area building collapse: • 2 dead, 3 rescued • Veep calls for enforcement of regulations appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
Black News 
Two persons have been confirmed dead, while three others have been rescued after a two-storey building collapsed at Avenor in the North Industrial Area, Kaneshie, in the Greater Accra Region in the early hours of yesterday.
The collapse also affected a mosque, flattening it in the process.
The incident left residents in shock and grief after it emerged that people were inside the building at the time of the collapse.
The ground floor of the structure reportedly served as a shop selling general goods, particularly children’s wear.
The two deaths were confirmed after the victims were pulled from the debris by personnel from the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the Ghana Ambulance Service.
The Ghana Police Service cordoned off the area and provided security.
At the time of filing this report, the Vice President, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang; the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mrs Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo; and the Interior Minister, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, had visited the scene before the excavation work began, while the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, arrived later.
When The Ghanaian Times visited the scene, it observed that four excavators were clearing the rubble, while police officers, supported by sniffer dogs of the Ghana Military Police, searched for persons who might still be trapped beneath the debris.
An eyewitness, Mr Rabio, who identified himself as the caretaker of the collapsed building, said the upper floors had not been fully completed, although the structure had been roofed and fitted with windows.
He noted that, as a result, people often sought shelter there whenever it rained, adding that only the ground-floor shop had been rented out.
According to him, he rushed to the scene after receiving an anonymous call about a loud noise in the area, only to arrive and find that the building had collapsed.
Meanwhile, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, in an earlier interview, expressed sadness over the incident and called for greater accountability and strict adherence to building regulations.
“There are many things we can all prevent, and it is about doing the right thing. We know them. We are told that somebody is trapped in there. Why should this happen? Because somebody did not do the right thing,” she said.
She stressed that individuals responsible for enforcing regulations must be supported rather than isolated or criticised.
The Vice President further emphasised the need to respect rules and regulations, noting that although they may not always be popular, they are essential for public safety and order.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse and urged stakeholders to take steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, Mr Ernest Adomako, also called for an in-depth investigation into the collapse. He said such incidents had become a major concern in the country, stressing the need for decisive action to curb the use of substandard materials in the construction industry.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has since commenced investigations to determine the cause of the collapse.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU & BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
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The post North Industrial Area building collapse: • 2 dead, 3 rescued • Veep calls for enforcement of regulations appeared first on Ghanaian Times.
