The site where a building under construction collapsed and killed two people on January 10 in Karen, Nairobi
Two workers
were killed when a building under construction collapsed on Saturday in Karen,
Nairobi.
Seven other workers
were rescued and rushed to hospital with multiple injuries.
However, two people sustained severe crush injuries and were pronounced dead, police and the responders said.
Their bodies were transferred to the Nairobi Funeral Home.
The building
had reached on the first floor and the masons were laying a slab when it
collapsed on January 10, officials said.
Emergency
service providers rushed to the scene after the news of the latest incident
spread and cleared the rubble late in the night.
The Nairobi
City County Government claimed the collapse of a building in Karen was caused
by structural failure linked to poor workmanship and inadequate formwork.
County Executive Committee Member for Built
Environment and Urban Planning, Patrick Mbogo said initial findings revealed
the use of sub-standard materials, with timber gum tree supports allegedly used
instead of the required steel props to support a double-volume slab.
According to NCCG, architectural plans for the
project were approved on November 14, 2024, while structural plans received
approval on November 27, 2024.
The developer and the structural engineer of the
project were identified and would be questioned.
The incident
occurred along Ngong View Lane in Karen Ward, Lang’ata Subcounty. Officials
said the structure caved in while construction was ongoing, trapping workers
beneath the debris.
Emergency and rescue teams were immediately
dispatched to the scene following the report of the collapse.
The operation was carried out jointly by NCCG
emergency responders, the National Disaster Management Unit, and the Kenya Red
Cross.
Mbogo said further investigations are ongoing to
establish accountability and ensure compliance with construction standards.
It comes a week after a 14-storey building
collapsed and killed two guards on duty at South C in Nairobi.
There have been
calls for action on officials responsible for the approval of the construction
of the building.
Police are among those investigating the saga and
have so far recorded statements from the developer and other parties involved.
The team has
also summoned at least ten officials from the county government for statements.
Police plan to press charges against those found
culpable for the collapse. There is also a push for an audit on many structures
under construction.
This is after major professional bodies in the sector
claimed graft had compromised the integrity of the structures.