Building collapses in Thiès, killing one and injuring two
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Lesoleil
The collapse of a building under construction in Thiès killed one person and injured two on 27 October, after two additional storeys were built without authorisation. Senegal’s Ministry of Urban Planning announced a technical assessment and stepped-up inspections to establish the cause of the accident.
The collapse of a building under construction in Thiès on Tuesday 27 October killed one person and injured two, according to Senegal’s Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Regional Development. The three victims were trapped under the rubble; the two survivors were taken to a medical facility.
An inspection carried out on 9 June found that the building had reached level R+5, although permission to add storeys was limited to R+3. The ministry said a stop-work order had been posted after the two unauthorised levels were discovered.
A technical assessment will examine the structure, foundations, materials and execution of the work to establish the causes of the accident and determine responsibility. The ministry also plans to secure the site and step up inspections of construction sites and buildings showing signs of instability.
Initial reports of the collapse said three people were trapped under the rubble; rescuers later pulled out two workers alive in Thiès. The death of one worker was confirmed in a later update.
