Rescue Operations Underway After Five-Storey Building Collapses in Ogembo, Kisii County

A five-storey building under construction has collapsed in the Ogembo area, Kisii county. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, September 8, sparking safety concerns in the area. Several people are feared to be trapped in the building, although Kenyans.co.ke could not independently verify the exact number of people. Emergency responders, including the county emergency team, have already arrived at the scene to help with rescue operations. residents look at the aftermath of a collapsed building in Kisii Photo Facebook Footage seen by this publication showed a large crowd gathered in the area as emergency responders intensified the rescue. The Tuesday evening incident has raised concern in the area, with fears that several people could still be trapped beneath the debris by the end of the day. Following the incident, residents have been urged to keep away from the collapsed building and allow rescue personnel to conduct their operations safely. At the same time, local leaders have called on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the construction, including compliance with relevant building safety requirements. The collapse comes days ahead of the expected long El Niño rains set for October, with Kisii among the counties expected to experience the rains earlier than projected. The area has experienced rain in recent times, but there are no indications that the rain could have caused damage to the extent of the collapse. The collapse has also renewed concerns over construction safety and the need for strict enforcement of building regulations to prevent loss of life. On July 23, a residential building collapsed in Jacaranda, Nairobi, leaving three people dead and several injured. On April 8, another building under construction in Kibera also collapsed, leaving one dead, with the collapse being attributed to structural failures and poor construction standards. The Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) and the Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) have repeatedly warned that Nairobi and surrounding urban areas are sitting on a structural crisis. Investigations by the National Construction Authority (NCA) point to critical failures across the board following approvals of the constructions.