One dead from collapsed Kiambu building

One person was confirmed dead and 12 more injured after a five-storey building under construction in Kiambu, about 20 kilometres from Nairobi, collapsed on Monday afternoon.

The paramilitary General Service Unit, the Nairobi Fire Brigade and volunteers from the Red Cross society mounted a massive rescue operation Monday evening as reports emerged the number of those still trapped in the building could be as high as 35.

The building collapsed towards the end of the lunch break on Monday and some of those still inside the partially-collapsed building last night were said to include women who were selling porridge to the workers.

According to the site’s foreman, Robert Makau, he had employed 35 people as casual workers on Monday and another 15 employed by another supervisor at the site. He said 11 of his employees had been rescued.

The Municipal Council of Kiambu does not have a fire brigade and residents said the council’s apparent lack of disaster preparedness could complicate the enforcement of bylaws related to the construction.

The building collapsed three days after another, also under construction, collapsed in Huruma, killing a man who lived in a shack next to it.

Other buildings have also collapsed in Mombasa, Kisii, Nakuru and Nairobi.

The collapse was also reminiscent of another at Nyamakima that collapsed in 2005.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere arrived two hours after the collapse as an Army helicopter arrived half an hour later to help coordinate rescue efforts.

Staff at the Kiambu District Hospital kept journalists away from the institution but it is understood that 12 people were admitted there last night, most of them suffering multiple fractures.

Rescue efforts were marked by confusion as wananchi heckled police led by Kiambu OCPD Samuel Mukindia, who tried to get them away from the scene of the collapse.

Police diverted vehicles from the main Kiambu-Ndumberi Road, resulting in a massive traffic snarl up on the road that leads to Githiga, Ikinu and Githunguri.

Business came to a standstill in the busy town as crowds rushed to the scene.

Some of those trapped inside the building made frantic calls to friends and relatives on the outside, asking to be dug out of the rubble but afraid that the uncoordinated efforts could lead to their deaths.

According to Job Omari, a carpenter at a workshop next to the collapsed building, a loud bang was heard from the building a few minutes to 2 pm before the site was engulfed in dust.

“We were just in the course of our work when stones started falling on the roof of our workshop. We ran to the far end of the workshop and it was a few minutes later that we realised what was happening,” said Mr Omari.

Roman Tango, who also works at the workshop, said he heard shouting before the building collapsed but it was not clear to tell what those inside the building were saying.

The site bore the signs of poor workmanship as residents pointed to a seemingly weak foundation visible from an excavated site next to the building.

A visibly shaken Mr Makau said the excavation of the site next to the collapsed building mainly contributed to the collapse, saying the construction had been sound and an engineer had been on site.

The building is said to have been booked by a leading supermarket chain but the Nation could not independently verify this.