Three-storey building 'sinking' at Dunkirk in Kumasi
A three-storey building in Kumasi located at Dunkirk at Fante Newtown, a suburb of Kumasi, has been demolished on the orders of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
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According to the KMA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Osei Assibey Antwi the building started sinking on Wednesday morning and because it could collapse anytime soon he ordered its demolition.
As a prelude to its demolition, three persons who owned shops in the building were asked to evacuate, while personnel of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) barricaded the area to protect lives and property.
The city authorities also evacuated residents from at least four houses and an educational institution, Queen Elizabeth II M/A and Primary School, which are close to the building.
Structure
The structure, built about two years ago, had developed some serious cracks which residents said might have been triggered by the effects of the salinity of the Subin River along the Central Market–Asafo Interchange arena.
As the news about the near-collapse of the building went viral, many people thronged the area, leading to massive vehicular traffic on the already busy Adum-Asafo Labour Highway.
KMA Boss
The KMA, led by Mr Antwi, visited the scene and ordered the structure to be pulled down to avoid any eventuality.
He subsequently ordered a “structural integrity test” not only on the disaster-stricken building but nearby structures as well.
Mr Antwi said buildings in a similar condition at Suame and Oforikrom had all been pulled down, adding that the assembly would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that people went through the right processes in acquiring permits to put up structures.
Building owner
The owner of the building, Mr Fiifi Daniels, who expressed shock at the development, said he suspected “foul play.”
He claimed that he received a phone call from his security man at dawn that he heard sounds suggesting that some people were using metal chisels on the pillars of the building on the ground floor
“My security man, who said he was at the time patrolling the third floor, rushed down and saw the unknown people jump onto their motorcycle and speed off,” he said.