Construction accidents in Guinea and Senegal cause death and injuries

Two separate construction-related accidents occurred in West Africa on August 28.

In the Mafanco district of Matam, Guinea, a 60-year-old carpenter named Aliya Camara died after falling from the fifth floor of a building under construction. Witnesses reported that the victim was working on pillar formwork and was not wearing a helmet or a safety belt. The site, which was being extended from two to five stories, reportedly lacked adequate fall protection devices. Local police have closed the construction site and opened an investigation into the circumstances of the fall.

In Yeumbeul-Sud, Senegal, a balcony collapse in the Thierno Ndiaye neighborhood left two people injured during the night. The structure, part of a building constructed in 2003, fell onto a ground-floor building containing three shops. A 56-year-old fruit vendor sustained serious head injuries, while a 63-year-old mason suffered a leg injury. Both victims were evacuated by firefighters to a medical facility for treatment.