NAIROBI, Kenya- Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan has mourned the latest victims of the Eastleigh building collapse after rescue teams recovered six more bodies from the rubble on Thursday, raising the confirmed death toll to eight.
The six bodies, four women and two men, were retrieved from the basement of the collapsed 18-storey building along 9th Street in Eastleigh, Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba said.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Hassan described the latest recovery as grim news for families who have waited for nearly two weeks for answers about their loved ones.
“Six more bodies were retrieved from the collapsed building in Eastleigh today. This is grim news, and my heart is heavy. No words can capture the grief of the families and communities struck by this terrible disaster,” Hassan said.
“We mourn with them, as we wait for the recovery of the remaining bodies inside the collapsed building.”
Death toll now stands at eight
The latest six recoveries were in addition to two bodies retrieved earlier in the rescue operation, bringing the confirmed death toll to eight.
The first body, that of a woman, was recovered on October 30, followed by another female body on November 3.
Four people have also been rescued alive since the building collapsed on October 23.
Osumba said rescue teams had reached the basement, marking a critical stage in the operation, which was estimated to be about 95 per cent complete by Thursday evening.
Authorities said they were still working to account for people reported missing.
While rescue teams had narrowed their active search list, officials urged families to remain patient as specialists continued clearing the final sections of the debris.
The National Police Service said the multi-agency team remains on the ground to ensure that all those who may have been caught in the collapse are accounted for.
Difficult rescue operation
The rescue and recovery mission has involved the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, National Disaster Management Unit, Nairobi City County Government, Kenya Red Cross and other emergency agencies.
National Disaster Management Unit Director Dr Duncan Ochieng said the operation has been especially difficult because of the size of the structure and the confined space under the fallen concrete floors.
The building was under construction when it collapsed, with some of its lower floors already occupied by businesses.
The disaster left a large section of the busy Eastleigh commercial district cordoned off as responders used heavy machinery and specialised equipment to access the lower levels.
Emergency teams have appealed to members of the public to stay away from the site to allow recovery crews uninterrupted access.
Families seeking information about relatives are being assisted through a Kenya Red Cross desk at the scene and the emergency response line 1199.
Calls for accountability
The tragedy has renewed concerns over building safety, enforcement of construction standards and accountability for developers and public officials responsible for approvals and inspections.
Investigations into the cause of the collapse are continuing, with no final finding yet announced by authorities.
For Hassan, however, the immediate concern remains the families waiting for confirmation about their missing relatives and the dignified recovery and identification of victims.
The Eastleigh MP has called for the rescue operation to continue until every person reported missing is accounted for, saying the affected families deserve closure after days of anguish.
Thursday’s grim recovery has deepened the human toll of one of Nairobi’s most devastating building disasters in recent years, as rescue teams continue their work beneath the rubble.
