Death Toll from Gachie Building Collapse Rises to Three

Three people have been confirmed dead after a five-storey building collapsed in Gachie, Kiambu County on Monday.

On Monday night, 10 construction workers were rescued from the rubble but one of them died while undergoing treatment at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital.

Two more bodies were retrieved from the debris on Tuesday afternoon, raising the death toll to three.

Rescue efforts spearheaded by Kenya Red Cross, Nairobi Metropolitan Services, and army officers are still ongoing at the site of the tragedy.

It is believed that five people, including a woman who was selling food to workers constructing the building, are still trapped under the rubble. As of Tuesday afternoon, the rescue team was yet to access all floors and account for everyone.

Kiambu Governor James Nyoro said they had written a notice to the owner of the building instructing him to stop the construction after the developer failed to meet some building standards.

Kiambu police commander Ali Nuno said they are in pursuit of the owner of the building, who is still at large. He is said to be a senior government official.

The residential building came tumbling down at around 3:00pm when some workers were putting up a slab for the sixth floor.