Rescue teams have pulled a man alive from the rubble of a collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, in a breakthrough that has renewed hope of finding more survivors.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the rescue on Saturday, October 24, following hours of painstaking search and rescue operations involving multiple emergency response agencies.
In a statement, the humanitarian organisation said its teams had worked alongside multi-agency partners to reach the trapped man and bring him out of the debris.
“After hours of painstaking work alongside multi-agency partners, our search and rescue teams in Eastleigh brought a trapped man out of the rubble,” the Kenya Red Cross said.
The survivor was subsequently taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he is receiving medical attention.
The rescue marks a significant development in the ongoing operation following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction along 9th Street in Eastleigh on Friday afternoon.
Search continues for missing people
Despite the successful rescue, emergency teams remain at the scene, working to establish whether other people are still trapped beneath the rubble.
The operation involves several agencies, including the Kenya Red Cross, the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service, Nairobi City County emergency teams and the National Youth Service.
Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear debris and improve access to sections of the collapsed structure as rescuers continue their search.
On Saturday, the Kenya Red Cross said 31 missing-person cases had been reported to its tracing desk, with the organisation working to verify the reports and establish how many people could still be unaccounted for. Some individuals initially reported missing had since been traced.
Questions remain over the collapse
The building, reported by Nairobi authorities to have 18 storeys, collapsed while still under construction, raising concerns about the safety of construction projects and compliance with building regulations.
Authorities have indicated that investigations will be conducted to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether any parties should be held responsible.
