NAIROBI, Kenya- Two survivors have been rescued from the rubble of a multi-storey building that collapsed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, the National Police Service (NPS) said on Saturday.
The building, which was under construction, collapsed along 9th Street on Friday, October 23.
The NPS said the survivors were taken to hospital and that a multi-agency team was continuing to search for people who may still be trapped.
The rescue operation involves police, the Kenya Defence Forces, the Kenya Red Cross, Nairobi County emergency teams and other responders.
Heavy machinery and specialist search teams have been deployed to clear debris and locate survivors. Police have urged the public to keep away from the site to allow rescuers to work.
The Kenya Red Cross said it had received 31 reports of missing people and was contacting families to verify them.
The organisation said some workers reported missing may have left the site before the collapse. It also said two people had been reunited with their families.
The figures differ from an initial update by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, who said seven people had been reported missing.
Police begin investigation into collapse
The NPS said it had launched an investigation with relevant professional bodies to establish what caused the collapse and whether any criminal offences were committed.
Police have also launched a manhunt for the building’s owner and the contractor responsible for the construction site, according to the service.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said a review of county records showed that an application for a building of more than 15 floors with a basement had been submitted but not approved.
The circumstances surrounding the building’s construction and collapse remain under investigation.
The building was on a busy commercial street, and shops were operating on its lower floors while construction continued above, according to reports from the scene.
Families searching for missing relatives have been asked to report to the Kenya Red Cross desk at the site or call its emergency line on 1199.
The Red Cross has also activated a tracing desk to check reports and help establish who may still be trapped.
Rescue teams were continuing to clear the rubble on Saturday evening.
