On Friday, a high-rise building under construction in Nairobi, Kenya, collapsed, leaving at least four individuals believed to be trapped inside.
Rescue teams are currently sifting through the debris. The Kenya Red Cross has stated that the incident occurred in South C, Nairobi, and that a multi-agency response team is managing the situation.
Geoffrey Luk, the cabinet secretary for public services, informed reporters that four people are thought to be trapped.
One of the trapped individuals’ sisters, Safia Ali Aden, shared that her brother had called her while he was inside the building.
“We are appealing to the government for swift action to rescue him alive,” she expressed.
Authorities have not yet released information regarding the potential cause of the collapse.
Building collapses are not uncommon in Nairobi, largely due to high housing demand. Often, unscrupulous developers flout safety regulations or disregard building codes entirely.
Following a series of collapses in 2015 that resulted in 15 fatalities, the president’s office mandated audits to ensure compliance with building standards nationwide.
The National Building Authority has reported that a concerning 58% of buildings in Nairobi are deemed unfit for habitation.
