Nairobi City County Governor Johnson Sakaja has provided the latest update on the 8-storey building that collapsed in Kahawa West, Nairobi County.
In an update, Sakaja stated that Deputy Governor Njoroge Muchiri visited the accident scene to assess the situation. He confirmed that the construction workers and two other people have been found.
“All the workers who were on the ground floor of the collapsed building have been accounted for. A woman and a child have also been accounted for,” Sakaja reported.
The Governor added that tenants from nearby buildings showing signs of structural failure have been evacuated.
He assured that rescue operations are ongoing, with further updates to be shared as recovery efforts continue.
100 Tenants Has Been Evacuated
Earlier, Nairobi County Executive for the Built Environment, Patrick Mbogo, mentioned that the County Government evacuated 100 occupants from the collapsed mixed-use building.
He explained that the building had been condemned by Nairobi County planning officials.
Mbogo reported that two individuals were rescued and admitted to the hospital with injuries.
“So far two casualties have been reported; a middle-aged lady, who was outside the building, got injured by the falling rubble during the collapse and a middle-aged gentleman who was rescued with a broken leg, were both taken to hospital. They are both in stable condition and are currently receiving treatment. All persons around the area have also been accounted for,” Mbogo said.
Also Read: Several Feared Trapped as Building Collapse in Nairobi
County to Arrest Owner
Mbogo confirmed that all Nairobi County teams are fully engaged in disaster recovery and evacuation efforts.
The County’s Multi sectoral team had also set up a command centre to coordinate operations.
He further stated that the county government will arrest the building’s owner, Patrick Rwamba, and increase audits of illegal developments in the area.
“We will also ensure Patrick Rwamba, the building’s owner, is arrested and arraigned in court. We will scale up building audits on all illegal developments in Kahawa West area,” Mbogo said.
The building, located along Station Road, collapsed on Sunday, October 20 at around 12:30pm.
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NCA Condemned the Kahawa West Building
The National Construction Authority (NCA) revealed that a Multi-Sectoral Agency Consultative Committee (MSACC) had visited the site on October 16 and condemned the building.
An enforcement order for immediate evacuation had been issued, but the building collapsed before the owner could provide a structural integrity report.
“All the tenants were evacuated from the building, and the building owner was directed to provide a structural integrity report within 14 days. However, before this was done, the building collapsed,” the Authority said.
The MSACC team includes various national and local authorities, such as the National Construction Authority, the Nairobi City County Government, and the National Buildings Inspectorate, among others.
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