At least twelve people died when a house collapsed in Cameroon’s economic metropolis Douala. 21 other people were injured, five of them seriously, according to the fire brigade and authorities. The four-story residential building in the north of the city fell on a one-story residential building during the night.
According to the Douala City Council, emergency services are using an excavator to search the rubble for survivors. A hospital in the city in southwest Cameroon said it had taken in 13 injured people. Two of them – a three-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman – have since died. Three other injured children received emergency treatment, it said.
Collapses due to natural disasters – and poor construction
According to residents, building collapses are more common in Douala – sometimes due to natural disasters such as landslides, but also due to poor construction. The city of Douala is currently demolishing homes in areas prone to flooding. However, the now collapsed building was not intended for demolition.
In 2016, five people died when a house collapsed in Douala. Authorities blamed a lack of repairs and violations of building codes for the accident, and classified 500 buildings as at risk of collapsing.
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Source: DW
