The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for La Nkwantanang–Madina, Ibrahim Fuseini Faila, has attributed the collapse of a three-storey building at Adenta New Site, which resulted in the death of a woman, to structural weaknesses worsened by prolonged exposure to heavy rainfall.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM , Mr. Faila said preliminary observations indicate that the structure was not adequately protected during construction, leaving it vulnerable to the continuous rains that preceded the collapse.
“This morning, I am yet to visit the people at the hospital, but I will visit the scene too,” he stated.
He explained that some occupants on the upper floors attempted to escape by jumping from the building as floodwaters and structural instability intensified during the downpour.
“Some people who were on the first floor tried to jump off to safety because the building was submerging due to the heavy downpour, so some of them got injured,” he said.
According to the MCE, although the structure is a three-storey building, only the ground and first floors were in use at the time of the incident.
Mr. Faila noted that the building appeared structurally weak, adding that exposed concrete and the absence of proper roofing significantly contributed to its collapse.
“The building itself was weak, and that was why it submerged,” he said. “The area is not a waterlogged area, but because it was just concrete and not roofed, when it rains on it continuously, it weakens.”
He explained that standard construction practice requires protective measures such as screeding to shield unfinished structures from rain damage.
“Since they were yet to roof, they should have done overlay concrete, which is screeding,” he said. “Ideally, by regulation guidance, when they knew they were not ready to complete, they should have done the screeding so when it rains, it would wash over.”
Mr. Faila further disclosed that the woman who died was on the first floor at the time of the collapse and was directly hit by the falling structure.
“The woman was on the first floor, so she was directly impacted. The building collapsed on her, and that was why she died,” he explained.
He added that a child was rescued from the same area but sustained serious injuries, while two other occupants on the ground floor were also later retrieved during the rescue operation.
The incident has renewed public concern over building safety standards and compliance with construction regulations, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
