A tragic building collapse in Accra Newtown has claimed three lives, while 20 others have been rescued from the rubble of an uncompleted four-storey structure near the Experimental D/A School.

The incident happened on Sunday, March 29, 2026, as a group of worshippers gathered inside the building, which had reportedly been repurposed as a makeshift church. The sudden collapse sent shockwaves through the community and prompted an immediate emergency response.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said it received the alert at 5:01 p.m., with rescue teams from its National Headquarters arriving within minutes to begin operations.

A total of 23 people—comprising 15 females and 8 males, including three minors—were trapped when the building gave way. Rescue teams, supported by other emergency agencies and local residents, managed to pull 20 survivors from the debris and rush them to nearby health facilities.

Sadly, three victims—two females and one male—did not survive. Their bodies have been handed over to the police as investigations continue.

Earlier, GNFS spokesperson ADO1 Alex King Nartey revealed that rescuers depended on faint cries from beneath the rubble to locate trapped victims, noting that some individuals were still believed to be under the debris at the time.

Rescue and security personnel remain on site to clear the debris and secure the area, as authorities prepare to investigate the cause of the collapse.

The tragedy has reignited concerns over the use of uncompleted and abandoned buildings for public activities, with calls for stricter safety enforcement. The GNFS has praised the dedication and professionalism of its teams and partner agencies in saving lives.

Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has confirmed an updated death toll following the building collapse in Accra, raising the number of fatalities to three from the initial two reported shortly after Sunday’s incident.

The collapse occurred at a structure located within the premises of the Accra New Town Experimental Basic School, which also serves as a place of worship for a Christian congregation.

Providing clarity on the casualty figures, the Minister emphasised that authorities took careful steps to ensure the accuracy of the information before making it public. “So far, information that has been cross-checked, double-checked, visited all the hospitals, just to be sure that we don’t give any information that may be far away from the fact,” he said.

He acknowledged the difficulty in determining the exact number of occupants at the time of the collapse but noted that collaboration among emergency responders had helped establish a more reliable estimate.

“As we all know, it is very difficult for you to go to how many people were in there, but at least with the cross-check from the police and National Ambulance Service,” he noted.

According to the Minister, a total of 23 people were involved in the incident.

“What we can say is that there was a total of 23 people. Unfortunately, we’ve lost three – a male and two females. They’re not able to tell names for now,” he disclosed.