Sam Kaye
A total of four construction workers were pulled out alive from the rubble of the collapsed four storey building in Congo town Freetown Sierra Leone.
Tragically, one worker was found dead at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries after being rushed to the hospital.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) in Freetown received a report recently that a four-storey building under construction at 41 Main Motor Road in Congo Town tragically collapsed.
The building, owned by one Mr. Boi came crashing down, reportedly due to poor construction design and the use of substandard building materials.
The NDMA coordinated the evacuation with the Armed Forces by providing an excavator to assist in the rescue efforts which included other relevant sector players which were also on the ground supporting the operations recently.
As at the time of writing this report, four construction workers had been successfully pulled from the rubble, though with multiple injuries, with the help of residents in the community.
They have been taken to the nearest hospital with the hope, that no more workers remained trapped beneath the debris.
The NDMA has categorized building and fence collapses as a major hazard, urging citizens to always hire qualified engineers for their construction projects and to use quality materials for their structures.
The NDMA has been urging citizens to carry out the necessary soil assessment to know if the soil can carry such load instead of allowing contractors to have the free will to be more concerned with designs, materials and labour for each structure.
This reporter recalls that apart from the geotechnical deficiencies, coupled with compromised materials, most of these storey buildings collapse due to structural defects which do not form part of the final drawings submitted for building permits.
Building owners and contractors hardly regard structural engineering as a discipline on its own for them to be looking for these kinds or professionals to set up buildings that can last way beyond its expiration date.
I admire the impartial stance presented here.
It’s refreshing to see journalism that examines various aspects on such a multifaceted issue.