Residents of Community 22 in Ashaiman are mourning after the beams of an uncompleted building collapsed, instantly killing 46-year-old carpenter Kwesi Yobo Dankwa on Saturday morning.
Four other individuals at the site were trapped under the rubble but were subsequently rescued and rushed to Tema General Hospital.
Their rescue was made possible by the swift actions of residents, personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, NADMO, and the police.
According to information obtained by Joy News, the deceased carpenter had been called to work on the building for the first time that morning.
Isaac, one of the workers on-site, described the sudden collapse; “We needed to remove the wood used for casting the beam. While loosening it, that part collapsed. I can only describe it as an accident.
“He is not the carpenter on this project. He was called in on Saturday morning. I was up there and had to hang out when it collapsed. I could have been under the rubble as well but for where I was.”
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu, Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, detailed the emergency response.
“We noticed part of the building had tumbled. What we did next was to get rid of the exposed iron rods and later, the beams with the help of our equipment and the support of the residents around.
“The trapped carpenter was dead and we’ve handed over the body to the police and have begun investigations into the circumstances leading to the collapse of that part of the building.”
After spending over 40 minutes addressing the situation, Mr Yenzu warned residents to stay away from the building due to concerns about its structural integrity.
Assemblymember for Moni Obaanye Electoral Area, Kudovor Kenneth, revealed that he had previously cautioned the workers and requested a permit for the two-story building.
“When I received information on the incident, I quickly called the police and fire service, but when I got here they were already at the scene with a team from NADMO.
“They played their respective roles to rescue the victims. Unfortunately, we lost the carpenter. When this project started, I was here to insist they produce a permit.
“They initially couldn’t. By the next visit, I noticed the ‘Produce permit’ written on the building. The collapse is quite unfortunate.”
A visit to the deceased’s family revealed a scene of profound grief, with both adults and children unable to control their tears.
Initially unaware that Kwesi Yobo Dankwa was among the victims, the family had been praying for the miraculous escape of those trapped, only to be devastated by the news of his death.
The deceased, the only son of his parents, had a daily habit of bidding his mother goodbye before heading to work, a farewell that tragically did not happen on this fateful Saturday.
Meanwhile, some residents suspect that the recent heavy rains, which may have weakened the building structure, contributed to the collapse.
