Tens trapped as five-storey building collapses at Makongeni, Nairobi

What you need to know:

  • Over 30 families are believed to have been living in the building.
  • By early morning, seven people had been rescued with four of them being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment.
  • Nairobi County Director of Communications Walter Mong’are said that City Hall was coordinating the rescue operation.

A five-storey residential building collapsed Wednesday near the Makongeni Police Station along Jogoo Road in Nairobi.

One person died on the way to Kenyatta National Hospital, several others were injured and others were trapped in the debris.

Six people were treated and discharged while one remains in the hospital.

More than 30 families are believed to have been living in the building.

The building was reported to have collapsed at around 3am on Wednesday and most of the tenants were said to be students at the Technical University of Kenya.

Those who were trapped in the debris were communicating with friends and relatives.

Joint rescue efforts by the Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre, the Kenya Red Cross Society, the Nairobi City Fire Brigade and the National Youth Service were under way.

The building was still under construction and tenants had moved into the ground, first and second floors.

Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke said members of the military were leading the rescue operation.

Speaking at the scene early Wednesday, Nairobi County Director of Communications Walter Mong’are said relatives of some of the people trapped in the building were in constant communication with them.

He said rescue operations were being hampered by lack of good access to the building as it had only one exit.