Tragedy in Accra New Town: 2 Dead, 16 Rescued After Building Collapses During Service | Discuss Ghana

The death toll has tragically risen at the site of the Accra New Town Experimental School building collapse. On Sunday night, March 29, 2026, Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey confirmed that two worshippers have been found dead beneath the rubble.

The four-storey uncompleted structure, which was being used as a makeshift church for a Sunday afternoon service, gave way around 1:00 PM, trapping dozens of people inside.

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The Rescue Operation: Latest Stats

Emergency teams from the Fire Service, NADMO, and the Police have been working under floodlights throughout the evening to reach those still buried:

Rescued: 16 worshippers have been pulled alive from the debris so far.

The Deceased: Two individuals were confirmed dead at the scene after being crushed by falling concrete slabs.

Injuries: Many of the rescued are in critical condition at the 37 Military Hospital and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, suffering from multiple fractures and head trauma.

The "Experimental" Link: The building is located on the premises of the Accra New Town Experimental School, where residents had previously complained about the "deteriorating" state of the infrastructure.

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Government Response: Accountability Begins

Following his arrival at the scene, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey issued several directives:

Immediate Audit: All buildings on the school premises have been cordoned off, and a regional audit of all "Experimental" school structures has been ordered.

Investigation into "Makeshift" Use: Authorities are investigating how an uncompleted four-storey building was permitted to be used for large public gatherings like church services.

Search Continues: Mayor Allotey emphasized that the search will continue until every person reported missing by the church leadership is accounted for.

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Incident Snapshot: March 29, 2026

Status	Count	Key Details
Confirmed Dead	2	Found during late evening search.
Rescued Alive	16	Mostly church members; many in critical care.
Site Location	Accra New Town Experimental Basic School.
Cause (Initial)	Structural failure of an uncompleted 4-storey building.
Leading Agency	Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) & NADMO.

"This is a dark day for our city. We will not rest until the last person is out, and we will certainly not allow such negligence to go unpunished." — Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Mayor of Accra.