All victims retrieved from Accra New Town building collapse – NADMO

Rescue operations at the site of the collapsed building near the Newtown Experimental D/A School in Accra have officially ended, with authorities confirming that no victims remain trapped beneath the debris.

The Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, announced that all persons affected by the incident have been successfully accounted for following an intensive search effort.

The building collapsed on Sunday, March 29, while worshippers had gathered on the premises, resulting in the loss of three lives and leaving about 20 others injured. The incident has since reignited concerns about building safety standards in parts of the capital.

Dr. Kuyon said emergency teams have now completed the search phase and are shifting focus to clearing the site to restore normal activity in the area.

“We have moved from emergency response aimed at saving lives and property to the next phase, which involves clearing the site to allow community activities to resume. This is a critical stage, and we must ensure that no one interferes with the process in a way that could endanger others,” he said.

He explained that specialised support, including the use of sniffer dogs, played a key role in confirming that no additional victims were trapped under the rubble. The deployment of the dogs helped provide assurance that the search operation had been thorough and complete.

Dr. Kuyon also praised the coordinated efforts of the various emergency response agencies that worked tirelessly throughout the rescue mission. Personnel from multiple institutions collaborated to ensure that victims were located and attended to as quickly as possible.

The conclusion of the rescue phase marks a significant step in the response to the tragedy, which drew widespread attention due to the scale of the collapse and the number of people affected.

Authorities are now expected to begin a full investigation into the cause of the collapse, with the aim of determining whether structural failures or other factors contributed to the incident. The findings are likely to inform future safety measures to prevent similar occurrences.

The focus has now shifted to recovery and accountability, as officials work to ensure that lessons are learned from the incident while supporting affected families and restoring normalcy to the community.