Three missing after building collapses in Kisumu

Three construction workers are missing while three others are nursing life-threatening injuries after a four-storey building under construction collapsed on Tuesday night.

Reports indicate that the six were in the building when the incident occurred within the Coptic area, West Kajulu location in Kisumu East Sub-county.

“We rescued the three who I must say survived with very serious injuries,” said County Police Commander Ralson Lolmodon. “The workers were resting on the first floor of the building when it collapsed on them.”

Robert Gitau, Moses Ongai and Duncan Katachi were admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital after sustaining the injuries.

Still alive

Lolmodon said rescue officers had embarked on a mission of getting to the three who remained trapped.

“There is hope though they have been trapped under rubble for close to 18 hours,” he said.

The contractor on the site was out of reach but the building’s owner, Wilkister Masila, said all was well until she received the bad news.

“I don’t understand what really happened. I just heard that the building collapsed with workers trapped inside,” she said. “I now have to deal with a Sh15 million loan.”

County Commissioner Josephine Ouko expressed optimism that one of the people trapped in the building was still alive and talking.

She said efforts were being made to rescue him and trace the other two whose whereabouts were not yet established by the time of going to press.

She stated that experts would be involved to find out why the building came down and legal action taken in case of professional negligence.

“We must get professionals to tell us why the building, which supposedly had met all the approvals, collapsed,” Ouko said.