Rescue operations continued into the early hours of Tuesday at Holy City Church, Brother Ronnie’s Ministries, in Bwerenga, Wakiso District, as investigators worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction.
At least 22 people had been rescued by Monday evening following the collapse at the church located in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, with the victims evacuated to Entebbe Grade B hospital facilities for medical attention, according to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala.
Police, working alongside the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and other emergency response agencies, were leading efforts to search the rubble for anyone who might still be trapped.
In an update issued at 2:20am on Tuesday, the National Building Review Board (NBRB) said its investigations team remained at the scene, collecting preliminary evidence to help establish what led to the collapse.
“The NBRB investigations team remains on the ground, piecing together preliminary evidence to help establish the circumstances surrounding the building collapse,” the board said.
The board had earlier confirmed that its investigations officers had responded to the incident alongside police and other emergency teams.
According to preliminary police findings, the collapsed structure was an extension of the church’s main building and had reached the fourth floor before it gave way.
The number of people who may have been inside the building at the time of the incident remained unclear, while the extent of injuries sustained by those rescued had not been officially established in the initial police updates.
Authorities had also not confirmed any fatalities in the information released by Monday evening.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, with the NBRB expected to examine evidence from the scene to establish the circumstances that led to the incident.
It was not immediately clear whether the structure had obtained all the required construction approvals or whether any structural defects contributed to its collapse. No wrongdoing had been established.
The incident has renewed attention on construction safety and compliance with building regulations, particularly for multi-storey structures.
Under Uganda’s building control framework, construction projects are expected to comply with approved plans and applicable structural safety requirements.
However, investigators are yet to establish whether any breaches occurred at the site.
For now, rescue teams remain focused on determining whether anyone is still trapped beneath the debris, while the NBRB investigates the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
