“I was very close to the mall because I was going to buy something only for me to see the building coming down,” witness Ama Okyere told AFP.
“I had to run for my life. I was so terrified. I believe there are lots of people trapped under this because this is a heavily patronised shoping mall in the area.”
The AFP correspondent witnessed two people being brought out of the rubble alive, with rescue workers arriving at the scene.
Officials have not commented so far and the cause of the collapse of the Melcom shopping centre was not immediately clear.
“I was on my way to school and all of a sudden heard a big bang and people shouting, only for me to see that the shopping mall has collapsed,” said another witness, John Owusu.