On Monday, November 11, 2024, a building under construction collapsed in the Majengo area of Mombasa County.
The building, which had barely reached the first floor, fell on one side, trapping construction workers inside.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident and reported that two people had been rescued, but one person was still feared trapped under the rubble.
The collapse took place in the morning, and emergency teams were quickly deployed to the scene.
A multi-agency response team, including officials from the Kenya Police, the Mombasa County Government, and the Kenya Red Cross, started search and rescue operations immediately.
Rescue workers and construction workers gathered around the rubble, working together to try to save the trapped individual.
Thankfully, there were no reports of deaths at the time of publication, but the situation remained tense as rescue efforts continued.
While the cause of the collapse is still under investigation, early images from the scene suggested that the building’s structure may not have been strong enough to support its weight.
This raised concerns about the safety of construction practices in the area. The Mombasa County Lands and Housing Department has yet to comment on the collapse, but incidents like this have raised alarms in the past.
This collapse comes more than a year after another building in Mombasa, near Mackinnon Market, collapsed in May 2023.
That building had been declared unsafe for occupation just a day before it crumbled. In both cases, the buildings' poor construction was a key factor in their failure.
These incidents highlight the dangers that tenants and workers face when buildings are not properly constructed or maintained.
The Majengo collapse also comes at a time when rains are expected in various parts of Kenya, including Nairobi and Kiambu, where many tall buildings are located.
These heavy rains could further compromise the stability of poorly built structures, making it crucial for authorities to address construction safety.
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