The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) received an emergency call between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. today, Monday, 16th September 2024, reporting the collapse of a seven-story building located at 57 Bai Bureh Road, Shell New Road.

The building, owned by Bailor Barrie, a non-resident of Sierra Leone, was used for both residential and commercial purposes, according to initial assessments and eyewitness accounts.

Thus far, six survivors have been rescued from the rubble, while eight victims have been confirmed dead (three adult males, two adult females, two young girls under five, and one young boy under five). The NDMA has confirmed that more people remain trapped beneath the debris, with some able to communicate their locations to rescuers.

Due to the magnitude of the incident, the NDMA, in collaboration with the Freetown City Council (FCC) and other partners, has secured two private cranes to assist with the ongoing rescue operations.

The NDMA and its partners remain committed to the rescue efforts, ho
ping to recover more victims trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Brima Sesay, Director General of the NDMA, who has been on-site since the incident occurred, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to raising public awareness about the risks associated with using unqualified contractors and substandard building materials. He also emphasized that the NDMA will continue conducting vulnerability assessments to help reduce the frequency of building collapses across the country.

Source: Sierra Leone News Agency