Freetown, 27th November 2025 – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has issued strict safety directives to contractors demolishing a six-storey building at No. 1 Sanders Street, following concerns that the ongoing operation is endangering nearby properties.
During monitoring visits, the Agency observed that demolition activities had already caused damage to two adjacent buildings, Eddie Turay and Partners’ Chambers and a business shop known as Mask Clothing. In response, NDMA ordered the following measures:
Rescheduling of demolition work to begin from 6:00 p.m. onwards, reducing public exposure during peak hours. Enhanced protective installations, including additional tents, tarpaulins, and safety barriers, to shield surrounding structures. Full responsibility placed on the contractor, Maan Sied Construction Company, for damages already incurred by the affected businesses.
NDMA also has a planned table-talk meeting with stakeholders, including Mr. Kabba of Eddie Turay and Partners’ Chambers and Mask Clothing, to strengthen safety standards for the remaining phases of the demolition.
NDMA emphasized that these directives are aimed at minimizing risks to the public and ensuring accountability as the controlled demolition continues.
The building at Sanders Street was first flagged in July 2025, after reports of alarming structural defects. A joint assessment conducted on 24 July by NDMA, the Freetown City Council (FCC), the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, the Ministry of Works, and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) revealed severe deterioration between the first and third floors, with weakened load-bearing columns and beams.
According to NDMA’s Director of Risk Reduction and Preparedness, Ing. Francis Maada Salia, the cracks and unstable beams posed a serious risk of collapse. The building owner subsequently agreed to demolish the structure, and Maan Sied Construction Company began the controlled demolition on 1st November 2025.
