By: Abdul Razack Gbla
A catastrophic disaster struck the SS Camp community on Haja Soni Drive, Mortomeh, leading to the tragic collapse of a five-story apartment building In the late hours of 21st July 2024. This horrifying event was compounded by the subsequent collapse of a rickety retaining wall, which fell on the already devastated structure.
The collapse resulted in the loss of several lives, including that of a young pregnant woman, whose body was discovered by rescuers. Two children remain buried under the rubble as authorities continue their search and rescue operations. However, amidst the tragedy, five individuals were rescued alive from the debris.
Since the beginning of July, Freetown has experienced an unusual and relentless downpour of torrential rain, a deviation from previous rainy seasons. These persistent rains have caused numerous casualties across the capital, significantly impacting the lives and livelihoods of residents. The families at the SS Camp community were among the latest victims, as the heavy rains triggered the collapse of both the five-story building and the retaining wall, resulting in utter devastation.
The thunderous sound of the collapse alerted neighbors, who rushed to the scene to assist the affected families. In the early morning hours, government organizations and authorities arrived to conduct search and rescue operations. The Police, military personnel, Disaster Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Red Cross, Office of National Security, and other organizations were present to manage the incident.
Kelly S. Koroma, popularly known as DJ Kally from Kallion Radio 105.7 FM and a resident of the SS Camp community, recounted the tragic events. “Yesterday evening, around 11:35 PM, a five-story building in our community collapsed. We rushed to the scene to rescue those trapped inside,” he said. Koroma described the initial rescue efforts, which successfully saved a man named Pa Musa, the building’s caretaker, and two of his children.
“Unfortunately, we believed more people were trapped under the rubble that night, including two children and a pregnant young woman. As we were trying to rescue them, the retaining wall behind the building fell, forcing us to flee for our lives,” Koroma added. The search resumed the following morning when authorities arrived, leading to the recovery of the pregnant woman’s body. Eight people were believed to be living in the building at the time of the collapse.
The disaster has left the SS Camp community and its surroundings in mourning and highlighted the urgent need for improved infrastructure and disaster preparedness in Freetown. With the rescue efforts in progress, the community hopes for the safe recovery of the remaining trapped individuals and the prevention of future tragedies.
