Building collapses in Kenya’s Nairobi:Many feared trapped; rescuers struggle to reach lower floors amid shortage of heavy equipment

Many people were feared trapped after a multi-storey building collapsed in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, on Friday, leaving a huge pile of concrete and more than a dozen floors stacked on top of one another, with little space between them, news agency AP reported. The building was under construction when it collapsed at around 1pm on a busy commercial street in the Eastleigh area of Nairobi, which is often crowded with thousands of traders and residents. Rescue operations hampered by lack of heavy equipment Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud said the building had more than 10 upper floors under construction. Rescue operations were complicated when police fired tear gas at people who had begun looting nearby shops. Officers were trying to clear the area to allow emergency response teams to reach the site. The Kenya Red Cross said its teams were on their way and urged people at the scene to give rescuers enough space to work safely. There was little heavy equipment available at the site in the initial hours after the collapse. Later, a group of rescuers wearing hard hats used poles stripped from trees to probe the massive pile of rubble. An excavator eventually arrived and began moving concrete reinforced with steel to help rescuers reach the ground-floor and basement levels. These areas were reportedly rented out as shops while construction continued on the upper floors. Trapped residents called for help Residents said some of their loved ones who were trapped in the rubble had called for help immediately after the building collapsed. However, their phones later became unreachable. Rescue teams continued working to reach the lower levels, where people were feared to be trapped. Building collapses a recurring problem in Nairobi Building collapses are a recurring problem in Nairobi. County officials responsible for issuing building permits have faced accusations of failing to conduct adequate inspections to ensure that developers comply with safety guidelines and construction standards.