General News of Thursday, 11 October 2018
Source: citinewsroom.com
2018-10-11
Customers fled when portions of the ceiling collapsed.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has confirmed that three persons were injured after portions of the ceiling of the Accra Mall’s electronics hub collapsed.
Speaking to Citi News, the Director of Geological Disasters at NADMO, Richard Amo Yartey, explained that, the three, all Nigerian nationals, were receiving treatment at the Mall clinic.
“Portions of the ceiling of the electronics hub collapsed. We’ve found out that three persons were injured. They are Nigerians, and are undergoing treatment at the Mall Clinic. NADMO and the Ghana Police Service have cordoned off the electronics hub, whilst investigations to find the cause of the collapse continue.”
Mr. Amo Yartey added that, NADMO is conducting an assessment of the damage caused by the collapse while the area has been cordoned off.
“NADMO will conduct an independent investigation but the owners of the premises will also have to conduct investigations to ascertain the cause. We are assessing the situation. After the assessment, we’ll hold a briefing session for the media. The whole area is cordoned off. We are restricting [people] from entering the area whilst the assessment is ongoing.”
Customers flee
There was some confusion earlier on Thursday with customers fleeing from the Accra Mall when portions of the ceiling collapsed.
According to an eyewitness, the injured persons were directly under the area that caved in.
“I came to shop inside the Mall. I saw the roof come down on a shop. There were two people inside the shop. When the roof came down, they were directly under it. Some people came around and helped the victims.
“From the way they were carried to the mall clinic, it looked like they had minor injuries.”
‘Saddened’
President Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted soon after the incident, expressing his sympathies to victims of the accident at the Accra Mall.
He also called on Ghanaians to work together to “improve maintenance culture to forestall such accidents from recurring.”