"As of 8.00 p.m. (20:00 GMT) [Sunday], during the collapse of the building in Banconi Salembougou [district in Bamako], 41 people were rescued, including 15 dead, an investigation into the owner [of the building] has been opened", the ministry wrote on Twitter.
The three-storey building under construction collapsed in the early morning, at about 4 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT). Rescue operations continued all day and are still underway.
"Thanks to the determination of the emergency services, a young girl of around four years has just been pulled out of the rubble alive. Another survivor (a woman) has just, happily, been extracted by rescuers", the civil protection ministry said.
The collapse of an entire structure was reportedly caused by the top floor falling onto the rest of the building.
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