Scores escape death after building collapses in Nakuru town

Two admitted at Nakuru Level 5 hospital after a building caved in

What you need to know:

  • Mr John Macharia Kibore whose family owns the building said that he had issued notice to tenants to vacate the building.

  • Two women in the building suffered injuries and were taken to private hospital.

  • Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui urged all the traders around the building to close their businesses until the building is brought down.

Scores of people in Nakuru town narrowly escaped death when a building on Mburu Gichua Road collapsed on Sunday evening.

Hundreds of people were forced to scamper for safety as huge debris started falling from the four-storey building known as Mukoh House.

“I heard a huge bang as I was selling miraa to a customer and we both had to scamper for safety,” said a miraa trader.

At least two women who were trying to salvage their wares were seriously injured when they rushed into the building moments after the it started collapsing at about 5.30pm.

Two brand new trucks which were packed outside the rear part of the building which is used as a store by a wholesale shop next to the building were extensively damaged.

TWISTED METAL

Blocks were still hanging loosely from twisted metal as rescue team led by the Red Cross, St John Ambulance and  firefighters from the county government made a risky entrance into the building to find out whether there were victims trapped inside.

One member of the family that owns the building, John Macharia Kibore, had a hectic time trying to stop a surging crowd which wanted to gain entrance into the building,

However, Mr Kibore said that nobody was trapped inside the building.

Emergency personnel at the scene where a four-storey building under construction collapsed in Nakuru town on October 22, 2017. AYUB MUIYURO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

“These people want to loot goods inside the building as it is a warehouse,” said Mr Kibore.

“I gave all the traders notice to vacate the building early in the morning and I led the National Construction Authority official to condemn the building by marking all the doors on the ground floor of the building,” said Mr Kibore.

The family also owns another building next to the collapsed building.

RESCUE MISSION

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, regional coordinator Wanyama Musiambo, Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria and his Nakuru Town West Samuel Arama arrived at the scene and coordinated the rescue mission.

Mr Kinyanjui said that the building had a crack and the county officials and National Construction Authority were aware of the danger the house was posing. “The county officials and NCA had earlier ordered traders in the building to vacate as the building could collapse any time,” said Mr Kinyanjui.

The governor urged all the traders around the building to close their businesses until the building is brought down.

“He said the county government had sent for help from the Kenya Defence Forces and National Youth Service to conduct the rescue operation.

ROAD CLOSED

However, by the time of going to the press, the KDF and NYS rescue team had not arrived at the scene.

Mr Kinyanjui said nobody was trapped inside the building.

At the same time he said the busy Mburu Gichua Road will temporary be closed as the operation gets underway.

Mr Musaimbo said that two victims were rescued but he could not confirm the number of people who were inside the building at the time of the accident.

“We are yet to get the correct head count of the people who were inside and once the KDF team arrives we shall verify whether there are any victims trapped inside the building,” said Mr Musaimbo.