Six survivors have been pulled from the rubble, while the death toll has risen to eight, including three adult males, two adult females, and three children under five, according to the agency
A seven-story building located at 57 Bai Bureh Road, Shell New Road, east of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown, collapsed between 11 am and 12 pm on Monday 16 September 2024, triggering an extensive rescue mission led by the country’s National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
Six survivors have been pulled from the rubble, while the death toll has risen to eight, including three adult males, two adult females, and three children under five, according to the agency.
Its Director General, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Brima Sesay, confirmed that more individuals remained trapped, with some managing to communicate their whereabouts to rescuers.
He said in response to the scale of the disaster, they had to partner with the Freetown City Council and other agencies to bring in two private cranes to assist with the complex rescue efforts.
Sesay said they had been on-site since the incident occurred, personally overseeing the rescue operations. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to public safety and stressed the dangers of using unqualified contractors and substandard building materials.
The building, which served residential and commercial purposes, was owned by Bailor Barrie, a non-resident of Sierra Leone. Early reports from eyewitnesses and assessments confirmed the collapse, prompting the rapid deployment of rescue teams.
Meanwhile, rescue efforts continue in earnest, with authorities working round the clock to retrieve more survivors.
