Police and emergency response teams were on Monday evening searching through the rubble of a collapsed church building in Bwerenga, Wakiso District, after rescuing at least 22 people from the site.
The four-storey structure, which was under construction as an extension of Holy City Church, Brother Ronnie’s Ministries, collapsed in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, prompting an emergency rescue operation.
The rescued people were being evacuated to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for medical attention, according to police. Authorities had not established whether more people remained trapped beneath the debris by the time of the latest update.
“Rescue operations are ongoing, with approximately 22 people rescued so far and being evacuated to Entebbe Grade B hospital facilities for medical attention. We are working to establish whether anyone remains trapped beneath the rubble,” Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala said in a statement.
Police said preliminary findings indicated that the collapsed structure had reached the fourth floor and was intended to expand the existing church building.
Investigations are underway to establish what caused the building to collapse. Police had not established the cause of the incident or provided a full account of the people who were at the construction site when the structure gave way.
The collapse raises questions about construction safety and the measures taken to ensure that buildings under development meet the required structural standards. However, it remains unclear whether structural defects, construction practices or other factors contributed to the incident.
The church is associated with Brother Ronnie Makabai, the founder of Brother Ronnie Ministries, which operates Holy City Church in Bwerenga along Entebbe Road.
The full extent of the damage, the number of people injured and whether any fatalities had occurred remained unclear as rescue teams continued searching the rubble.
Police said further investigations would establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
