Gbedenbu, Sierra Leone – July 5, 2025 – A devastating tragedy struck the Gbedenbu community near Bar Junction, Goderich late Friday night, when a concrete fence collapsed onto two makeshift structures, killing three members of the same household.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. The fence, reportedly owned by one Mr. Mohamed Kallon (not the national football coach), gave way and crashed onto the two panbodies constructed beneath it.
Among the victims were 45-year-old Salia Sawaneh, a physically challenged man; his 30-year-old wife, Fatmata Tam; and their one-year-old daughter, Mariam Sawaneh. All three were trapped under the rubble and pronounced dead at the scene.
A police patrol team responded swiftly to the emergency and, with the help of local residents, managed to retrieve the bodies. They were transported to a nearby mortuary shortly after.
Two other individuals, identified as Haja Sawaneh and Maseray, survived the collapse but sustained injuries. They are currently receiving medical treatment at the Emergency Hospital in Freetown.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has since deployed personnel to the site.
The tragedy has sparked renewed concern over the safety of unregulated structures and the risks faced by vulnerable residents living in makeshift housing across urban areas.
