AYV News, September 18, 2024
Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has assured survivors and relatives of victims of a collapsed seven-storey building on Bai Bureh Road, Shell New Road in Freetown, of government’s support and care.
During his visit, he toured the scene, met with rescue teams, and expressed his condolences to the families who tragically lost their loved ones.
Describing the incident as deeply unfortunate, the Vice President pledged that the government will take all necessary measures to reduce the frequency of building collapses, which continue to claim innocent lives. He stressed the government’s resolve to enforce compliance with building regulations to prevent such disasters in the future.
At the incident command center set up by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Vice President Jalloh met with NDMA staff and praised the agency for its exceptional leadership in managing the recent building collapses in Freetown. He assured that the government would continue to provide financial support for the ongoing rescue operations to ensure that all those trapped beneath the rubble are reached. Additionally, he pledged continued government backing to enhance the NDMA’s capacity for effective disaster management across the country.
The Director General of the NDMA, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Brima Sesay, briefed the Vice President on the situation, revealing that sixteen people had been pulled from the rubble. Of those, nine were confirmed dead, including two male adults, three female adults, two girls under the age of five, and two boys under the age of five, including a four-month-old baby recovered earlier this morning. Five survivors are currently receiving medical care; two of them, in critical condition, have been referred to Choithram Hospital, while the others are recovering at Rokupa Hospital.
After visiting the collapse site, the Vice President also went to Rokupa Government Hospital, where he visited the survivors and was briefed on their recovery progress.
As the rescue operations enter their second day, the NDMA, in collaboration with the Freetown City Council (FCC), Sierra Leone Red Cross, National Protected Area Authority, community volunteers, the Petroleum Regulatory Agency, and other partners, remains fully committed to continuing the search and rescue efforts, as it is believed that more people are still trapped beneath the debris.