News
One dead from collapsed Kiambu building
Members of the public at the scene where a building collapsed in Kiambu town, October 19, 2009. STEVE WAITHANJI
One person was confirmed dead and 12 more injured after a five-storey building under construction in Kiambu, about 20 kilometres from Nairobi, collapsed on Monday afternoon.
The paramilitary General Service Unit, the Nairobi Fire Brigade and volunteers from the Red Cross society mounted a massive rescue operation Monday evening as reports emerged the number of those still trapped in the building could be as high as 35.
The building collapsed towards the end of the lunch break on Monday and some of those still inside the partially-collapsed building last night were said to include women who were selling porridge to the workers.
According to the site’s foreman, Robert Makau, he had employed 35 people as casual workers on Monday and another 15 employed by another supervisor at the site. He said 11 of his employees had been rescued.
The Municipal Council of Kiambu does not have a fire brigade and residents said the council’s apparent lack of disaster preparedness could complicate the enforcement of bylaws related to the construction.
The building collapsed three days after another, also under construction, collapsed in Huruma, killing a man who lived in a shack next to it.
Other buildings have also collapsed in Mombasa, Kisii, Nakuru and Nairobi.
The collapse was also reminiscent of another at Nyamakima that collapsed in 2005.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere arrived two hours after the collapse as an Army helicopter arrived half an hour later to help coordinate rescue efforts.
Staff at the Kiambu District Hospital kept journalists away from the institution but it is understood that 12 people were admitted there last night, most of them suffering multiple fractures.
Rescue efforts were marked by confusion as wananchi heckled police led by Kiambu OCPD Samuel Mukindia, who tried to get them away from the scene of the collapse.
Police diverted vehicles from the main Kiambu-Ndumberi Road, resulting in a massive traffic snarl up on the road that leads to Githiga, Ikinu and Githunguri.
Business came to a standstill in the busy town as crowds rushed to the scene.
Some of those trapped inside the building made frantic calls to friends and relatives on the outside, asking to be dug out of the rubble but afraid that the uncoordinated efforts could lead to their deaths.
According to Job Omari, a carpenter at a workshop next to the collapsed building, a loud bang was heard from the building a few minutes to 2 pm before the site was engulfed in dust.
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So sad. As a kenyan structural engineer practicing in the US, it is painful to read about the loss of lives through such incidents. We need to strenghten our building regulations and educate building owners or investors of the need to have qualified professionals invloved to avoid not only a loss of lives but also time and money. The local professional organisations should should also clean up the quacks in the industry who do not even understand Newtons law but claim to be able to design a multi-storey building.
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This is really sad and one can only shudder at the thought that it was supposed to house a supermarket. This and all the other cases is what ultimately happens when there is flouting and lack of enforcement of regulations, which probably sums up the root of most of Kenya's problems.
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While the greedy ministers continue their lousy politics, and councillors, mayors etc busy stealing, construction industry continues to build weak buildings and the citizens will continue to suffer! Imagine the town has no fire brigade!
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