By Kandeh Sesay
Freetown, Sierra Leone — 13th August 2024 — A series of building collapses in Freetown over the past month has raised serious concerns about the quality of construction materials, particularly the iron rods used in building structures. Prominent public figure Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has called on the Government’s Standards Bureau to investigate the integrity of these materials.
Dr. Blyden’s concerns, shared via social media, were accompanied by photos of the collapsed buildings, which she claims reveal substandard iron rods. “The rods in this photo from a four-storey building that collapsed at Congo Town today and in a photo of a landing floor that just collapsed along Wilkinson Road, all look like cast rods. They don’t look like steel rods. They’re not even looking like smelted rods from strong iron ore. Instead, it looks like cast iron recreated from scrap metals collected and re-cast,” Dr. Blyden wrote.
She further urged that “the Standards Bureau may need to check the tensile strength of rods being imported into the country for sale to citizens in our building material shops.” Her remarks have sparked a significant debate online, with many echoing her concerns and calling for a thorough investigation.
Despite attempts by Awareness Times to reach the head of the Standards Bureau, no response was received by press time.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by two recent collapses reported on August 12th, 2024. According to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and AYV News Media, one incident occurred along Wilkinson Road, where a landing floor collapse left several people seriously injured.
On the same day, at approximately 1:30 PM, a four-storey building under construction at No. 41 Main Motor Road in Congo Town also collapsed. The building, owned by an individual identified only as Mr. Boi (surname yet to be confirmed), is believed to have failed due to poor construction design and the use of substandard materials.
The NDMA, with assistance from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, has deployed an excavator to aid in rescue efforts. Initial reports confirmed that two construction workers were pulled from the rubble with injuries, thanks to the efforts of community volunteers. These workers have been transported to the nearest hospital for treatment.
At approximately 7:45 PM, a third victim, an unconscious male construction worker, was rescued and rushed to the Emergency Hospital. Rescue operations continue as authorities fear more workers may still be trapped beneath the debris. The exact number of those still unaccounted for has yet to be determined.
In response to these incidents, the NDMA has classified building and fence collapses as a major hazard. The agency is urging citizens to employ qualified engineers for construction projects and to ensure the use of high-quality materials to prevent future tragedies.
