At least 36 people lost their lives and more than 200 were injured on Wednesday morning after a makeshift scaffold collapsed at a church in Ethiopia, state media reported.
The tragic incident occurred at around 7:45 am in Arerti, a town located about 70 kilometers (40 miles) east of Addis Ababa. Thousands had gathered at the site to celebrate an annual Virgin Mary festival, a significant religious event in Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian calendar.
According to district police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu, the death toll currently stands at 36 but is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue. “More than 200 people have suffered injuries and are being treated at a local hospital,” he said. Some of the critically injured were transferred to larger hospitals in the capital.
Local official Atnafu Abate told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) that some worshippers remained trapped under the debris. Images shared by EBC showed piles of collapsed wooden poles scattered outside the church compound, where crowds of shocked onlookers had gathered.
A government statement released via state broadcaster expressed condolences to the victims’ families and stressed that safety must be given priority.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation, has long struggled with poor health and safety standards. Construction accidents are frequent, with makeshift structures often erected without proper regulations or oversight.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over the Virgin Mary festival, an event deeply rooted in Ethiopia’s Christian heritage. The country is home to one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, tracing back to the Axumite Empire, which declared Christianity its state religion in the fourth century.
As the nation mourns, questions are mounting over the lack of safety measures at public gatherings and construction sites. With rescue operations ongoing, authorities fear the final death toll may rise further.
