Three parishioners dead and twenty rescued after church collapse in Ghana

Nairobi.- At least three people died and twenty others - including children - were rescued after the collapse of a three-story building under construction used as a church in the capital of Ghana, Accra, authorities confirmed.

"So far, the information has been cross-referenced, verified, and all hospitals have been visited, just to make sure we don't provide any information that might stray from reality," said Ghanaian Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, in statements reported this Monday by local media.

"What we can say is that there were a total of 23 people. Unfortunately, we lost three, one man and two women," added the minister, detailing that the injured who survived are receiving treatment in different medical centers in the area.

Among the 23 affected, fifteen were women and eight men. The group also included seven minors, all of them alive. The collapse took place on the afternoon of this Sunday in a school compound in the town of Accra New Town, located in the metropolitan area of the capital, and occurred after heavy rains fell, although the causes of the incident are still being investigated, according to Mubarak. The response included Police officers, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO, in English) and the fire and ambulance service, who carried out the rescue work throughout the night.

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It is feared that more people may be trapped under the rubble, as, according to local press reports, witnesses have heard cries for help from the victims. Building collapses are common in many African countries, a problem attributed to the use of poor-quality construction materials and the negligent inspection of properties by the authorities.