NAIROBI, Nov 17 (NNN-KBC) — Two people have been confirmed dead after a five-storey building under construction collapsed in Ruaka, Kiambu County.
The building located near Fortune Club area collapsed early Thursday morning.
The two, a man aged 73 and his wife said to be in her 50’s, are the owners of an adjacent residential home that was fell on by the building.
Their three daughters however escaped death by a whisker after they were rescued.
The Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) is currently leading other teams in rescue efforts at the scene of the incident.
The demise of the two was confirmed by Kiambu County Governor Kimani Wamatangi who visited the scene early Thursday morning in the company of County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha.
Wamatangi while addressing the press announced the immediate suspension of the board in charge of Land, Housing, Physical Planning and Urban Development in the county.
“We will traverse every corner of Kiambu to ensure all buildings under construction comply with the set standards,” said an agitated Wamatangi.
On his part, Nkanatha said they have already established who is the owner of the collapsed building and they will ensure the law takes its course.
The incident comes barely two days after another seven-storey building collapsed at Seasons area in Kasarani, Nairobi County.
Three people have so far been confirmed dead from the incident while six others have been rescued from the rubble.
The tough talking Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja speaking when he visited the scene last Tuesday put on notice property developers violating building regulations.
He blamed the developer of the building for failing to secure a construction permit from the county government.
“This building had an enforcement notice from last year but because of impunity, the developer decided to go on with the construction,” Sakaja lamented.
“The developer must be charged in court. We will liaise with DCI to ensure he is charged with murder. All those who are going on with such constructions, we want to put them on notice. Just pull down those buildings or let us come for you,” he added in tough talk that is rarely heeded. — NNN-KBC
