Sierra Leone's Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said on Tuesday the death toll from a seven-storey building collapse in the capital a day earlier had risen to at least nine, as rescuers searched for survivors.
The building, thought to be used for both residential and commercial purposes, gave way between 11am and noon GMT on Monday, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
On Tuesday, a large crowd gathered at the site in eastern Freetown, where the military, the Red Cross and ordinary volunteers desperately searched for those trapped under the rubble.
"So far, we have rescued 16 people including a four-month-old baby but sadly nine have been confirmed dead and two in critical condition," Jalloh told journalists at the site of the collapse.
More machines
"We will continue the rescue and search operation. Plans are underway to deploy more machines to excavate the rubble to search for survivors," he added.
Alimamy Kanu, a 21-year-old motorcycle rider whose house next to the building was crushed in the disaster, told AFP that his family had lost four children.
"We are very sad for this unfortunate situation, our children's lives have been cut short by this accident, our only house and properties were completely destroyed," he said.
Witnesses interviewed by AFP said that dozens of people lived in the building.
'Devastating loss'
"We will launch a full-scale inquiry into this disaster and do all we can to prevent any recurrence of such a tragedy," President Julius Maada Bio wrote on X.
"This is a devastating loss. My deepest condolences go out to all those who have lost loved ones," he said.
Vice President Jalloh said the government had launched a crisis unit to investigate the causes of frequent housing collapses in Freetown.
"We plan to introduce a new building code and permit for all construction activities in the country," Jalloh added.
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