A mason has been rescued after being trapped under debris when a building collapsed at the Kasoa New Market in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region on Saturday, October 11.
The victim, who remains unnamed, sustained severe injuries to his legs and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Emergency response teams, including personnel from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the Municipal Assembly, swiftly responded to the incident.
Eyewitnesses reported that the structure collapsed suddenly, sending debris flying and triggering panic among traders and residents in the busy market area.
Poor Construction
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Awutu Senya East, Mr. Seth Banini, visited the scene and attributed the collapse to the use of substandard construction materials and structural defects.
“What we have realised is that the building was constructed with substandard materials. They used 11.5 or 12mm iron rods for the columns, and the beam lapping was poorly done,” Mr. Banini stated.
He explained that the building, which had been standing for over a decade, predates the current administration.
“This building has been there for over 10 years, so it wasn’t under our tenure. But we always encourage anyone putting up new structures to come to the Assembly with their documents for our engineers to inspect and approve before construction. It’s not about revenue, it’s about protecting lives and property,” he emphasized.
Mr. Banini noted that the mason was fortunate to have survived the incident, as the collapsed section narrowly missed his upper body.
“If it had hit his neck, he would have died instantly. Thankfully, it fell on his leg. Though the injury is serious, we are praying they don’t cut his legs,” he said.
He also praised the swift response from the Fire Service and NADMO personnel and revealed that structural assessments would be conducted to identify other potentially dangerous buildings in the area.
The NADMO Director for Awutu Senya East confirmed his team’s involvement in the rescue operation and issued a warning to traders to avoid the damaged structure.
“We were cleaning parts of Kasoa when we received the distress call and rushed to the scene. The victim’s leg was broken, but he’s alive, and we thank God for that,” the Director said.
“The building is old and was renovated with low-quality materials. We’ll make sure no one goes back there until the right structural assessments are done,” he added.
The area has since been cordoned off, and safety inspections of surrounding buildings are underway.
