At Least Eight Dead as Seven-Story Building Collapses in Freetown, Rescue Efforts Ongoing

In Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a seven-story building collapsed on Monday, leading to the confirmed deaths of at least eight people. Rescue teams are working around the clock to find survivors, with several individuals still trapped under the rubble.

According to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), six people have been rescued from the Shell New Road site. Some of the trapped individuals have managed to communicate their locations to rescuers.

Among the victims are three children under the age of five, including two girls and one boy. The building, which housed both apartments and commercial spaces, came crashing down between 11:00 and 12:00 local time on Monday.

While early efforts involved clearing debris with picks and bare hands, two cranes have since been brought in to aid the rescue mission. Local resident Mohamed Camara, in an emotional interview with AFP, shared that his wife and three children are still missing under the rubble.

The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but the NDMA is emphasizing the importance of using licensed contractors and quality building materials to prevent future disasters.

Brima Sesay, head of the NDMA, stated, “We will continue conducting vulnerability assessments to help reduce the frequency of building collapses across the country."