The Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly and the Engineering Council have jointly clarified that Tuesday’s incident at “The Address” project site in Roman Ridge was not the collapse of a 10-storey building, as widely reported, but rather a failure of a first-floor concrete slab under construction.
In a joint statement signed by Ing. Isaac Bedu, Registrar of the Engineering Council, and a representative of the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, the two institutions explained that the incident occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, during the casting of a podium slab.
“Contrary to initial reports in the media, there was no structural collapse of a 10-storey building. The event involved the collapse of the first-floor podium concrete slab, which was being cast,” the statement clarified.
According to the release, 14 construction workers sustained injuries during the partial collapse. The injured were swiftly transported to the 37 Military Hospital and Ridge Hospital for treatment.
As of Wednesday morning, 12 of the injured workers had been treated and discharged, while two others remain in stable condition at Ridge Hospital.
“We extend our best wishes for their full and swift recovery,” the statement added.
Committee to Probe Incident
Following the incident, the Ayawaso West Municipal Chief Executive convened an emergency stakeholder meeting on Wednesday morning, resulting in the formation of a seven-member independent investigative committee to probe the matter.
The committee comprises technical experts drawn from the Engineering Council, Architects Registration Council, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), and the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly.
Their mandate is to conduct “a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the root cause of the failure and propose concrete recommendations to prevent any future occurrences.”
All work on the affected site has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The statement assured the public that the committee’s findings will be made public and will inform stronger enforcement and safety oversight within the construction sector.
“The committee will issue a comprehensive public report upon the conclusion of its work, and its findings will be instrumental in strengthening our enforcement and compliance mechanisms,” it read.
Both institutions urged the media and public to avoid speculation and rely on verified information from official sources.
“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety and accountability in the built environment,” the statement concluded.
Devtraco Clarifies
Devtraco Plus Limited, the developer behind ‘The Address’ project at Roman Ridge, also issued a statement confirming that the incident involved a temporary formwork failure and did not affect the building’s permanent structural integrity.
According to the company, “a localized section of temporary formwork supporting freshly poured concrete gave way, failing approximately 50 square meters of wet concrete” during the casting of the first-floor podium slab.
“There has been no structural failure. The incident was limited to temporary works (formwork props) used to support the slab during casting. The permanent structural integrity of the building remains intact,” the statement emphasized.
Devtraco further assured that all construction works are being carried out “strictly in accordance with approved designs prepared and supervised by qualified, certified consultants.”
The company said its project management and safety teams activated emergency protocols immediately after the incident. Fourteen workers sustained minor to moderate injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals, with twelve since discharged and two remaining under observation in stable condition.
The affected area has been cordoned off as an internal and external joint investigation continues.
“Our foremost priority remains the safety and well-being of all personnel on site,” Devtraco said, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining “the highest standards of safety, quality, and professional integrity.”
Ghana Fire Service Update
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) also confirmed the incident in a separate update issued on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
According to the GNFS Public Relations Office at its National Headquarters, the Service received a distress call at 12:18 p.m. reporting a structural collapse at the Roman Ridge Engineering Centre, situated between a 10-storey apartment project and the Ghana Institute of Engineering.
A rescue team, led by ADO I Minnoh, arrived at 12:29 p.m. to find that all 14 affected workers, all male, had already been rescued and sent to the 37 Military and Ridge Hospitals.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that the victims sustained varying degrees of injuries but no fatalities were recorded.
The GNFS advised the site manager to suspend construction activities pending the outcome of ongoing investigations and urged full compliance with safety standards on all project sites.
