At least 36 people were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, when makeshift scaffolding collapsed at the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church in the town of Arerti, Amhara region, Ethiopia.
The tragedy occurred at around 7:45am local time (4:45 GMT) as hundreds of pilgrims gathered to mark the annual Virgin Mary festival. The church, located about 70 kilometres east of the capital Addis Ababa, was still under construction when the wooden structure gave way, sending worshippers tumbling amid dense debris. District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu confirmed the death toll to state media, warning that the figure could rise as rescue operations continued.
Local officials reported that some victims remained trapped under the rubble, while severely injured individuals were transported to hospitals in the capital for treatment. Eyewitness accounts and images shared by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) showed tangled poles and large crowds attempting to assist emergency responders. Teshale Tilahun, the local administrator, described the event as “a tragic loss for the community.” The disaster has renewed concerns over Ethiopia’s lax safety standards, with construction accidents occurring frequently in the country, Africa’s second most populous nation.