A large-scale rescue operation is underway today in Nairobi after a building collapsed at the Gikomba Market area, killing at least two and leaving several others injured or trapped under the rubble. The incident has reignited concerns over building safety and the need for stricter regulation enforcement in the Kenyan metropolis’s busiest business district.
Emergency responders say the collapse occurred last night, prompting relief teams, firefighters as well as police and medical personnel to conduct a search for survivors while ambulances remained on hand in case injured persons needed to be transported to nearby hospitals. Volunteers and residents also joined the call to action, helping rescuers dig through the debris in the hope of finding more people.
The number of casualties could adjust as rescue teams had better access to the collapsed building, authorities said. Heavy equipment was brought in to carefully remove slabs of concrete and debris of twisted metal, so that the rescue teams could access any survivors sheltered under the ruins. The authorities told the public to keep away from the area to allow emergency teams to do the mission better.
Investigators had not yet released a cause though experts say that building collapse incidents result from several factors. These could be faulty structural foundations, the use of inappropriate construction materials, alterations made to a building without permission, lack of proper maintenance or building carried out without any compliance with engineering guidelines, according to investigators who will need to investigate the zone to confirm what caused the collapse.
The tragedy has sparked a new public debate on the safety of city structures in the most densely populated business areas. Gikomba Market is bustling with thousands of traders and shoppers every day and it has now come to light that public safety might have been compromised. For many, the tragedy of the collapsed building has raised concerns about how many older buildings could still be in danger and also how many of them have proper safety certification and are inspected from time to time.
Safety advocates are calling for building owners to conduct inspection checks on their properties especially those situated at the most chaotic business hubs. They are saying that potential structural problems should be identified and fixed promptly to prevent tragedies. Soundbuilding officials will now need to investigate whether the aforementioned building complied with all the latest safety requirements and final approvals.
The tragedy has also left many traders in a state of emotional and financial distress. They halted their businesses temporarily while teams of emergency personnel secured the area. They are worried about their safety but also dealing with the economic damage that hasn’t yet been quantified.
In the meantime, families of those presumed to have been inside the building are hoping for news. Hospitals and emergency agencies across the country, as well as government officials, are on alert as the rescue mission continues.
The collapse of the Gikomba building points to the critical importance of ensuring the safety of the public. As well as dealing with the emergency, attention is now turning to oversight of construction projects, consistent application of building regulations and, in case of any evidence of negligence, prosecution of those on the hook to ensure the safety of others and confidence in the future.
This is a developing story and there is likely to be more to come from ongoing rescue and official investigations.