In Zambia, one person died while 41 others have sustained injuries after the unfinished United Church of Zambia (UCZ) building they were worshiping in, to commemorate the New Year, collapsed in Lusaka’s Chainda compound.
And church overseers who were preventing The Post from getting access to the church, also tried to bar victims from commenting on the incident.
Levy Mwanawasa Hospital public relations officer Mwenya Mulenga confirmed that a total of 41 victims were received yesterday, including 22-year-old Ashy Muchinga, who was brought in dead.
“We received 41 in total and 33 have been seen and discharged. We have admitted eight, six females and two males. One of the female is very critical. She is in the main ICU.
Her name is Erica Kapindula aged 22. We had one BID from the same incident, Ashy Muchinga, male 22, from Chelstone. The 33 are stable,” said Mulenga.
According to church choir member Thelma Kangwa, the incident happened around 11:00 hours yesterday when, the iron rods that had been installed on the 31st of December 2012 collapsed.
“We were in the church during the New Year’s Day service and just when the preaching began, it was as if someone had thrown a stone on the roof and all the iron rods started falling on us.
Those who were close to the door were not very hurt but for people like me, who were in front, we sustained serious injuries. And those same rods were installed yesterday (Monday).
The workers were there up to 18:00 hours, the place is not safe,” said Thelma, who is admitted to Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital.
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