Avenor Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises to Three
One survivor dies in hospital as authorities investigate suspected structural and permit violations behind the Avenor four-storey collapse
- Death toll in Avenor building collapse rises to three
- One rescued survivor died while receiving treatment in hospital
- Engineers suspect permit and structural safety violations
The death toll from the collapse of a four-storey building at Avenor in North Kaneshie has risen to three after one of the two survivors rescued from the rubble died while receiving treatment at the hospital.
Accra Mayor, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, confirmed the latest development, noting that the victims include the owner of a Mothercare shop operating within the building.
The building collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, June 7, 2026, trapping four people beneath the debris. Rescue teams initially pulled two survivors from the rubble and recovered two bodies at the scene. However, one of the survivors later succumbed to injuries, increasing the fatality count to three.
The four-storey structure, reportedly built between 2020 and 2021, housed both commercial and residential occupants.
Preliminary assessments by engineers from the Ghana Institute of Engineers have raised serious concerns about the building’s compliance with safety regulations. Early findings suggest the structure may not have been constructed with an approved building permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
The engineers also observed indications of substandard concrete, which they believe may not have met the required strength standards for a building of that magnitude.
Structural Engineer Emmanuel Aidoo stressed the importance of proper supervision in construction projects of such scale.
“These structures have to be engineered. You can’t just use your mind to construct such buildings. It will come back to haunt you,” he cautioned.
Authorities are still investigating the exact cause of the collapse. Further tests, including structural analysis and concrete sampling, are expected to guide the final findings.
The Avenor incident is the second fatal building collapse in Accra within a week. On June 3, a residential building at Adenta New Site also collapsed, killing one person and injuring four others.
The back-to-back tragedies have renewed public concern over building safety in the capital, with growing calls for stricter enforcement of construction permits, routine inspections, and accountability within the sector.
