Scaffolding collapsed as people climbed to see Ethiopia church mural, eyewitness tells BBC3 hours ago Share Save Amensisa Ifa BBC Africa, Arerti and Sammy Awami BBC Africa, Nairobi Share SaveSTR / EPA / ShutterstockA day after the joyous celebration of a religious festival, mass funerals were held in the small Ethiopian town of Arerti for the 36 people killed when scaffolding inside an Orthodox Christian church collapsed. Among them was 22-year-old Fikre Tilahun, who told the BBC that he had lost his mother in the tragedy. Amensisa Ifa / BBC Fikre Tilahun last saw his mother the night before her deathAlthough the church is still under construction, people had gathered in the building on Wednesday during the annual Orthodox Christian celebration of St Mariam. Amensisa Ifa / BBC A mass funeral was held for the victimsMr Fikre said life would not be the same for him and his younger brother without their mother. Health and safety regulations are poorly enforced in Ethiopia and construction disasters are common.