One person was killed and 25 others rescued after a building under construction at a church collapsed Monday in Uganda's central district of Wakiso, police said Tuesday.
Rachael Kawala, spokeswoman for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, said that one body had been retrieved from the rubble of the collapsed structure, an extension of the main church building in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council.
The rescued people are now receiving medical treatment at a hospital near the accident site.
Emergency teams were continuing search and rescue operations as authorities worked to determine whether more people remained trapped beneath the rubble.
"Our emergency teams are working to establish whether there are any people or remains trapped beneath the debris. Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the collapse are underway, with the authorities yet to establish the circumstances that led to the incident," said Kawala.
Preliminary findings indicate the structure reached the fourth floor when it collapsed, according to an earlier police report.
"I work at a neighboring site, but I was told a crack appeared after pouring the slab on the second floor. It was ignored, and the building continued until the fourth floor when it collapsed. That's where the problem started," said Aloysious Mutebi, a local resident.
The building reportedly lacked approved planning permission.
1 killed, 25 rescued in Uganda church building collapse
1 killed, 25 rescued in Uganda church building collapse
1 killed, 25 rescued in Uganda church building collapse
