Arerti, Ethiopia — What should have been a day of prayer and celebration turned into one of the deadliest church disasters in recent Ethiopian history. At least 36 worshippers were killed and more than 200 others injured when wooden scaffolding gave way inside a church under construction during the annual Virgin Mary festival.
The collapse happened shortly after 7:45 a.m. local time on Wednesday, October 1, at the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church in the Amhara region, about 70 kilometers east of the capital, Addis Ababa.
A Sacred Gathering Shattered
Thousands had traveled to Arerti for the festival, one of the most important events on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church calendar. Witnesses say that as prayers echoed through the church, worshippers climbed onto the wooden scaffolding that had been erected for ceiling painting and mural work. The structure buckled under the crowd’s weight, sending dozens plunging from above.
“We were in the middle of prayer when the entire scaffolding suddenly collapsed,” recalled one survivor who lost three close friends in the disaster. “There was screaming everywhere. People were crushed.”
Casualties and Emergency Response
Local police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu confirmed 36 deaths, warning that the toll may rise as rescue teams search for those still trapped beneath the debris. Over 200 people were injured, many of them children and the elderly.
Field hospitals in the area quickly filled, and the most critical cases were transferred to major medical centers in Addis Ababa. Officials described scenes of chaos as ambulances carried victims out of the rural town toward the capital.
A Community in Mourning
Local administrator Teshale Tilahun called the collapse “a tragic loss for the community and the church.” Government leaders have issued formal condolences to families of the victims, while clergy in the Orthodox Church have urged nationwide prayers for those affected.
The tragedy has sparked renewed concern over safety standards in Ethiopia. Construction accidents are not uncommon, and temporary structures often built quickly and with limited oversight pose significant risks during mass gatherings.
A Wake-Up Call on Safety
Officials acknowledged that the collapse underscores deeper problems: the widespread absence of regulated construction practices, particularly in rural areas where religious festivals often draw massive crowds.
“This was preventable,” said one local resident, pointing to the hasty construction and lack of professional supervision. “People died because safety was not taken seriously.”
0 Comments