The death toll from the collapse of a four-storey building at Avenor in North Kaneshie has risen to three after one of the two survivors rescued from the rubble succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident, the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has confirmed.
The building collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, June 7, 2026, trapping four people beneath the debris.
Speaking on the latest developments, the Mayor disclosed that the deceased include the owner of a Mothercare shop that operated within the building.
Initially, rescue teams recovered two people alive and rushed them to hospital, while two others were pronounced dead at the scene. However, one of the survivors later died while receiving treatment, raising the number of fatalities to three.
The four-storey structure, believed to have been constructed around 2020 or 2021, housed both commercial and residential occupants.
As investigations continue, preliminary assessments by engineers from the Ghana Institute of Engineers have raised serious concerns about the building’s compliance with safety standards.
According to the engineers, there are indications that the structure may not have had a building permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. They also observed what appeared to be poor-quality concrete, which they believe may not have met the minimum strength requirements needed to support a building of that size.
Structural Engineer Emmanuel Aidoo stressed that buildings of such magnitude require proper engineering supervision throughout the construction process.
“These structures have to be engineered. You can’t just use your mind to construct such buildings. It’ll come back and hunt you,” he said.
Authorities are yet to establish the exact cause of the collapse. Investigators are expected to conduct further tests, including concrete sampling and structural modelling, before issuing a final report.
The Avenor tragedy is the second fatal building collapse recorded in Accra within a week. On June 3, a residential building collapsed at Adenta New Site, killing one person and leaving four others injured.
The two incidents have renewed concerns about building safety in the capital and intensified calls for stricter enforcement of permit regulations, routine inspections and greater accountability within the construction sector.
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