Seven people were killed and several others injured after a building collapsed in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, President Macky Sall said on Wednesday.
Part of a residential building, which had been undergoing construction work, collapsed at 1:00 am (0100 GMT) on Tuesday, Martial Ndione, commander of the fire and rescue unit of the fire department, told AFP.
Dakar is experiencing rapid demographic and economic growth and has seen an explosion in construction in recent years, sometimes with little regulation and without official permits.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic collapse of a building in Xaar Yalla, causing seven deaths and serious injuries,” Sall posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” he added.
Fire and rescue commander, Ndione, gave a provisional death toll of five and said that 12 others were injured.
Building collapses are common in Africa. In July 2023, two buildings under construction collapsed in Guinea, killing five people.
Six people were also killed when a building collapsed in Ivory Coast in the same month.
