Business Activities Resume At Accra Mall

Accra Mall resumed full operations on Saturday following the collapse of a ceiling on Thursday which raised concerns over the structural integrity and safety of patrons of the sprawling shopping centre.

A visit to the mall on Saturday showed business was in full swing. Management of the facility had deployed technicians from Dezign Africa, a ceiling and fitting company, which was conducting an evaluation of the collapsed ceiling at the Mall Square area and checking on the integrity of the rest as well.

Although no fatalities were recorded after the incident last Thursday, it triggered safety concerns from visitors and shoppers who became apprehensive over the possibility of something similar happening in the future.

On Saturday, the Dezign Africa team using laser measurement tools created a number of openings in the ceilings to allow for the safety and integrity checks and was yet to identify what might have triggered Thursday's midday collapse.

A member of the team told Graphic Online that one of their key tasks in conducting the preliminary inquiry was to record a video of the roof space for technical analysis to offer insights into the cause.

The area which had been cordoned off in the immediate aftermath of the incident to allow for initial investigations was opened to shoppers on Saturday. Debris from the fall had also been cleared to allow kiosks that operate in the aisle of the mall close to the area to resume operations.

A walk around the mall showed people busily going about their business without any apprehension.

A man who operates business close to the site witnessed Thursday's accident and he described it as having a 'cascading sequence'.

He said management of the mall had assured tenants that everything was under control and was doing everything possible to ensure everyone's safety.

A shop attendant, who did not want to be named, was confident management of the mall would be thorough in ensuring the mall is safe for everyone.

“I think this is the first time something like this has happened so I am sure they will do everything they can to avert any future recurrence . . . So for now I can still say the mall is safe,” he added.

No member of the mall's operators was immediately available for comment. In a statement concerning the accident, management of the mall assured patrons that safety was a paramount consideration and would do all it should to protect its clients and shoppers.