Avenor building collapse death toll rises to three — Accra Mayor

The death toll from the collapse of a four-storey building at Avenor in North Kaneshie has risen to three after one of the survivors rescued from the rubble succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident.

The confirmation was made by Accra Mayor, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who disclosed that one of the deceased was the owner of a Mothercare shop operating within the building.

The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, June 7, when the structure unexpectedly collapsed, trapping four people beneath the debris.

Rescue teams initially recovered two victims alive and transported them to hospital for emergency treatment, while two others were found dead at the scene. However, one of the injured victims later died, increasing the confirmed death toll to three.

The building, believed to have been constructed between 2020 and 2021, served both residential and commercial purposes and housed several occupants, including the Mothercare retail outlet.

Preliminary assessments by engineers have raised serious concerns about the structural integrity of the building. Experts from the Ghana Institution of Engineering who inspected the site indicated that the structure may have lacked the necessary building permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

Engineers also observed what appeared to be substandard concrete, suggesting the materials used may not have met the required strength standards for a building of that size.

Structural Engineer Emmanuel Aidoo stressed the importance of professional engineering oversight in construction projects.

"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 warned.

Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the disaster. Technical examinations, including concrete testing, material analysis, and structural modelling, are expected to determine the exact cause of the collapse.

The Avenor tragedy marks the second major building collapse in Accra within a week. On June 3, a separate building collapse at Adenta New Site claimed one life and left four others injured.

The successive incidents have intensified public concerns about building safety standards and prompted renewed calls for stricter enforcement of construction regulations, permit requirements, and routine structural inspections across the capital.