Two people have been confirmed dead and at least 14 others have been pulled to safety after an uncompleted school building collapsed on worshippers during a Sunday service in Accra New Town, with rescue teams pushing through the night to reach those still trapped.
The structure, located within the premises of the Accra Experimental Basic School near Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) Bank on the stretch from Nkrumah Circle through New Town, gave way at around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. Worshippers had been using the uncompleted building as a makeshift church when it caved in without warning, sending debris down on the congregation inside.
Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey confirmed the two fatalities as emergency crews worked to clear the rubble. Authorities say additional victims may still be alive beneath the debris, with some heard calling for help, sharply intensifying the pressure on rescue teams operating under floodlights.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, and the National Ambulance Service have all deployed personnel to the scene. Police have cordoned off the area and urged residents and bystanders to stay clear to allow operations to proceed without obstruction.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu visited the site to meet with emergency personnel and monitor the coordinated rescue effort. By the time of his arrival, eight people had been pulled from the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses say residents and passersby launched initial rescue attempts using bare hands and basic tools before professional responders arrived. The cause of the collapse has not been confirmed, and authorities say a full investigation will follow once the rescue mission concludes.
