Traged Hit Ghana "Melcom Shopping Mall disaster"

The death toll of the Melcom Shopping Mall disaster hit nine mid-day on Thursday whilst another person was rescued, bringing the number of survivors to 78, a Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) source has said.
Mr Prince Billy Anaglate, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, told the Ghana News Agency at the site that casualty figures should be verified from the Service.
“We are in charge here with all the statistics and you must check from us before going on air to avoid giving conflicting figures,” Mr Anaglate said.
Meanwhile a nine-man Israeli Rescue Mission on Thursday joined the Ghanaian rescue team at the disaster site to assist locate and extricate any remaining survivors.
The team was briefed by some officials of the Ghanaian team at the site.
In an earlier interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra an Official of the Embassy of Israel Eyal Lampert said the Israeli team is expected to work in collaboration with the detachment from the Field Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Army currently at the site.
According to the Embassy official the team would undertake initial assessment at the site using special equipment and sniffer dogs that would help identify the locations of possible survivors or corpses.
He said Israel had in addition to the rescue to team put on standby about 150 support team and logistics including field hospitals and concrete cutters to move to Ghana should the initial assessment deem it necessary.
The hard work of the Field Engineers Regiment, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other emergency institutions including the Ghana Police and the National Ambulance Service has led to the rescue of at least 51 persons from the rubble so far.
The rescue team at the disaster stricken site of Achimota Melcom Shopping Mall in Greater Accra, have so far cleared 50 per cent of the debris of the six-storey building that collapsed last Wednesday.

Colonel M’bawine Atintande, Head, Public relations Directorate, Ghana Armed Forces, who made this known on Saturday said the efforts had made it possible for the team to identify a staircase which could lead to other parts of the building.

Briefing journalists in Accra he said the rescue mission had made slow progress because they did not want to do anything that could endanger the lives of those who might be still alive.

He said so far, 70 people have been rescued alive with 12 others confirmed dead adding that 52 of those who are alive had been treated and discharged from the various hospitals.

Earlier report that reached Ghana News Agency however said 78 people have been rescued.

He pledged the commitment of the team to work into the night to remove the debris and continue with the rescue mission.

In a related development, Apostle Joseph Mend, Head Pastor, Anointed Revival Ministries located at Tantra Hills in Accra presented 15 bags of sachet water, three boxes of bottled water and assorted drinks to the rescue team.