Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has confirmed that three people have died following the collapse of a three-storey building at Accra Newtown, as emergency teams conclude intensive rescue operations at the scene.
Speaking after visiting the site, the Minister said a total of 23 individuals were caught up in the incident, with 20 successfully rescued and currently receiving treatment at various health facilities.
“What we can say is that there was a total of 23 people… It’s a very sad day for all of us,” he stated.
According to him, authorities took deliberate steps to verify casualty figures before making them public, working closely with multiple agencies to ensure accuracy.
“So far, information that has been cross-checked, double-checked… just to be sure that we don’t give any information that may be far away from the fact,” he said.
The minister explained that determining the exact number of occupants at the time of the collapse was initially difficult, but data gathered from the Ghana Police Service, National Ambulance Service, and other responders helped establish clarity.
He commended personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Police Service, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and the National Ambulance Service for their swift and coordinated response.
The structure, believed to be an uncompleted building within the compound of the Accra Newtown Experimental Basic School, was reportedly being used by a group of worshippers at the time it collapsed on Sunday.
While the exact cause of the incident remains under investigation, the tragedy has renewed concerns about the safety of abandoned and structurally unsound buildings being used for public activities.
Rescue teams say there is now a high level of certainty that no additional victims remain trapped under the rubble, as debris clearance continues at the site.
