The Fall of a Building in Nairobi Causes Safety Concerns as Rescuers Search the Rubble

On Friday, a multi-story building collapsed in the Kenyan capital, trapping several people and raising concerns about risky construction. Videos uploaded online showed a dramatic smash and massive clouds of dust as the structure, which was reported to be roughly 18 stories high, collapsed in Eastleigh’s densely populated commercial and residential neighborhood.

As search and rescue personnel arrived on scene, the building had been reduced to rubble, but they struggled to access the site because it was sandwiched between other high-rises.

Police said they rescued one woman and heard another’s voice in the wreckage. Bibiye Mahmoud, head of Kenya’s Institution of Engineering Technology, told AFP that many people are stranded at the catastrophe site. Contractors and engineers are responsible for ensuring that the work is done professionally. However, most are not. This is why we are witnessing such calamities… “There is no accountability,” she said.

According to a survey by Kenya’s National Building Inspectorate, 87 percent of buildings assessed last year did not meet standards or required approvals. Our concern is to save lives,” Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja told reporters, adding, “This building has no occupation certificate… this has potentially cost lives.

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