Tenants evacuated from Kware building after scare

The Kware building whose tenants were on June 27, 2017 evacuated following fears that it could collapse anytime. PHOTO | LILLIAN MUTAVI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • In a statement, the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) communication Officer Pius Masai refuted reports on social media that the building had collapsed.
  • Mr Moses Nyakiongora, the City Hall's secretary in the building inspectorate, said the building was visited by National Construction Authority engineers on Monday night and several cracks were seen on the upper floors.

Tenants of a building in Kware, Embakasi have been evacuated following fears that it could collapse anytime after cracks were noticed in one of the floors.

Just two weeks ago, another building in the same area collapsed leaving a mother and a child dead.

According to Assistant County Commissioner Embakasi Division, Jackson Letangule, the seven storey building experienced blocked drainage which spilled and residents panicked after cracks appeared on the upper floors.

“We have a seven storey building on the verge of collapsing, people are being evacuated, ”said Mr Letangule.

He said police have been deployed at the site as they wait for engineers from the county government and the National Construction Authority.

FAKE NEWS

In a statement, the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) communication Officer Pius Masai refuted reports on social media that the building had collapsed.

"The building has not collapsed as earlier reported," read the statement.

Mr Moses Nyakiongora, the City Hall's secretary in the building inspectorate, said the building was visited by National Construction Authority engineers on Monday night and several cracks were seen on the upper floors.

“The ground floor could not be inspected as it was waterlogged and it was at night. To be on the safer side, evacuation was ordered to allow further inspection,” said Mr Nyakiongora in a statement.