Four people are feared trapped after an eight-storey building collapsed on Friday night, May 8, in Oloolua Ward, Kajiado North Sub-County, Kajiado County.
The Oloolua storey building was still under construction when it collapsed.
The incident was reported by two men who were employed at the site. Two of the four people are said to be painters.
4 Trapped as 8-Storey Building Collapses in Oloolua, Kajiado
According to reports, close to half of the building has been brought down.
Officers from the Kajiado County Government, Ngong Municipality, and the National Police Service have cordoned off the site.
Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident stating that rescue operations are ongoing.
“Reports indicate that four people may be trapped under the debris. A multi-agency response team comprising Kenya Red Cross Action Teams, Mational Police, the County Government and the National Disaster Management Unit is currently on site conducting rescue efforts, supported by an excavator,” Kenya Red Cross said.
By the time of publishing this article, the cause of the collapse had not yet been established.
The tragedy follows a similar incident in 2022 when a six-story building under construction in the same Oloolua area collapsed.
Similar Incident at Oloolua
According to area residents who were close to the scene, the building collapsed at around 7:30 pm. The residents also said concerns had previously been raised about the construction, with some alleging that substandard materials were used.
“Looking at the mixing ratio, the mixture had more sand than concrete and cement. The construction was also completed very quickly,” said Joseph Ndirangu, a resident and mason.
Also Read: Several Feared Trapped as Building Collapses in Kericho
According to the Deputy County Commissioner of Kajiado North Sub-County, there was no one inside the building at the time of the incident. However, one passerby was injured and taken to the hospital, where they were discharged.
He also confirmed that investigations have commenced and assured that necessary action will be taken.
A signboard near the site indicated that the building was an NCA-approved proposed apartment, with Cost-Link Building Works Limited listed as the contractor.
However, a search on the National Construction Authority portal did not show any registration details for the firm.
Cases of Building Collapses Across the Country Rise
Reports of building collapses have been frequent in recent years, raising concerns over structural integrity, especially following heavy rains and flooding.
In March this year, two workers were trapped inside a collapsed building in Westlands, Nairobi County.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that the building collapsed on Wednesday night, March 18, initially trapping four workers. Two were rescued unhurt, while two others were trapped.
The incident followed another collapse in Kericho County, where one person died, and three others were rescued after a three-storey building collapsed in Chesanga village, Kipchebor Ward.
Kericho County Commissioner Jeremiah Mwai Gicheru confirmed that all relevant agencies participated in the rescue operation.
Also Read: Building Collapses in Kibera’s Highrise Area
In another incident, four people died after a building collapsed at Blue Estate in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, on March 16 during a demolition exercise along the Nairobi River riparian corridor.
The Ministry of Interior said the building was among those marked for removal under the Nairobi River Regeneration Project, implemented by the Nairobi Rivers Commission. Four others were rescued, one of whom sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.
