The government has confirmed that seven people are missing following the collapse of an 18-storey building under construction in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as the cause of the incident remains unknown.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who addressed the media after visiting the site alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, where search and rescue are ongoing, said 67 construction workers were at the site when the building collapsed.
Of these, 66 escaped uninjured, while one sustained injuries and was reported to be in stable condition in hospital.
The CS said 11 shops located on the ground floor and in the basement were occupied at the time of the incident.
A multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service (NPS), Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies is coordinating the search and rescue operation.
Murkomen said rescuers had established contact with some of the missing individuals, while efforts continued to locate and rescue those trapped beneath the debris.
“Seven people have been reported missing. The rescue team has made contact with some of them, and efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in the rubble”, he said.
The government has urged families and members of the public searching for missing loved ones to contact the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199.
“ We are providing the rescue team with all the support it needs to expedite the search and rescue operation. Support for affected individuals and families, including psychosocial support, is being arranged”, he stated.
Murkomen further said the cause of the collapse would be thoroughly investigated by the relevant national and county government agencies in collaboration with professional bodies.
He warned that anyone found responsible for the incident would be held accountable.
