Ghana: 'Dozens' Trapped After Mall Collapse

A shopping centre has collapsed in Ghana, leaving at least one person dead and dozens of victims feared trapped in the rubble.

It is thought the top three floors of the five-storey building housing the Melcom mall in Accra came down.

One employee at the scene who declined to be named told AFP around 40 workers were in the building when it collapsed, though he was not sure about the number of customers.

Family members could be seen at the site attempting to call relatives who may be trapped by mobile phone, while scores of rescue workers sought to clear debris and get oxygen masks to victims.

"My son, my son, my son! My son is going to die! Get him for me! He is my only son!" one woman screamed.

Witnesses saw at least six people being brought out of the rubble alive. The cause of the collapse of the Melcom shopping centre was not immediately clear.

Emergency officials at the scene said the collapse was most likely caused by structural failure. There was no evidence of an explosion.

"We are doing our best to get to those trapped. We hear there are about three dozen," Kwame Avevoi, a police officer co-ordinating the rescue, said.

Excavators attempted to lift the building's broken beams and concrete blocks.

Witness Ama Okyere: "I was very close to the mall because I was going to buy something only for me to see the building coming down.

"I had to run for my life. I was so terrified. I believe there are lots of people trapped under this because this is a heavily patronised shopping mall in the area."

Another witness, John Owusu said: "I was on my way to school and all of a sudden heard a big bang and people shouting, only for me to see that the shopping mall has collapsed."

Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama suspended his electoral campaign for next month's poll and arranged to visit the scene of the disaster.

Soon after the building collapsed, he tweeted: "My prayers are with the workers, shoppers and others who are trapped in the rubble of the Achimota Melcom building."

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