Demolition in Nairobi Turns Deadly, Killing at Least Four
A plan to dismantle a building in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, went wrong, killing at least four people and injuring four others, the authorities said. According to a statement by the country's interior ministry, the army and other institutions took part in rescue efforts to find people trapped under the rubble, with at least two people being pulled out alive.
A planned demolition in Nairobi went wrong, killing at least four people and injuring four others, authorities said. The interior ministry said the army and other agencies joined rescue operations to search for people trapped under the rubble, and at least two people were pulled out alive.
The ministry said the building had been earmarked for removal as part of the ongoing Nairobi River Regeneration Project. Officials did not immediately say what caused the collapse and said investigations were under way.
Building failures are relatively common in Nairobi, where strong demand for housing, frequent violations of building codes and lapses in regulation have contributed to unsafe structures. Kenya’s National Construction Authority previously reported that 58% of buildings in the city were unfit for habitation. A string of collapses in 2015 killed 15 people and underscored persistent safety concerns.
Authorities said rescue work and inquiries would continue and that more information would be provided as investigations progress.