At least an even people were reported missing following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction in Eastleigh, Nairobi.
This is even as all 67 construction workers who were at the site were accounted for.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said 66 construction workers escaped uninjured, while one sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable.
Murkomen, who visited the scene on Friday evening alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, said rescue operations were ongoing to locate and save those feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The collapse occurred along 9th Street in Eastleigh, Kamukunji Sub-County, triggering an emergency response amid fears that people could have been buried under the debris.
According to Murkomen, 11 shops located on the building’s ground floor and basement were occupied when the structure came down.
“Seven people have been reported missing. The rescue team has made contact with some of them, and efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in the rubble,” he said.
A multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies was leading the search and rescue operation.
The government urged families whose relatives were missing to report to the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199, to facilitate efforts to establish their whereabouts.
Murkomen said the government was providing the rescue teams with the necessary support to speed up the operation, while arrangements were being made to provide affected individuals and families with assistance, including psychosocial support.
The Interior CS also assured the public that the circumstances surrounding the collapse would be thoroughly investigated by relevant national and county government agencies in collaboration with professional bodies.
He warned that those found responsible would be held accountable.
The incident has renewed concerns over construction safety and compliance with building regulations in Nairobi, where rapid urban development has increased scrutiny of multi-storey developments.
Rescue efforts were continuing as authorities worked to establish the whereabouts of the missing people and determine the cause of the collapse.
Murkomen expressed sympathy to families awaiting news of their loved ones and wished the injured person a quick recovery.
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