Eastleigh Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises to Four as Two More Bodies Recovered

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 5 – The death toll from the Eastleigh building collapse has risen to four after emergency responders recovered two more bodies from the rubble early Thursday as the multi-agency operation entered its second week.

The latest victims, identified as an adult woman and a man, were retrieved during overnight operations at the site along 9th Street in Eastleigh.

Police said the woman’s body was recovered at approximately 1:30am, while the man’s remains were retrieved at around 3:30am. Both bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition.

Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) officers documented and processed the scene before the remains were transferred to the City Mortuary, where postmortem examinations and identification procedures are expected to be conducted.

The latest recoveries bring to four the number of bodies retrieved since the multi-storey structure collapsed on October 23, trapping workers and other individuals beneath tonnes of concrete and debris.

The National Police Service (NPS) said four people had so far been rescued alive from the wreckage, as specialised teams continued searching for others believed to have been trapped inside the building.

Authorities have urged members of the public to keep away from the affected area to allow emergency personnel and heavy equipment to operate without interference.

Despite the recovery of several victims, uncertainty remains over the whereabouts of 16 people who are still unaccounted for following a verification exercise conducted by the Kenya Red Cross and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba said investigators had used mobile phone data to establish that nine of the missing individuals were at the building shortly before it collapsed.

Authorities are pursuing leads involving four other cases, while three families are yet to submit phone numbers needed to support efforts to trace their missing relatives.

The search has been particularly challenging as teams work to reach the lower sections of the structure, including the basement, where some of the missing individuals are suspected to have been trapped.

Officials have indicated that approximately 90 per cent of the debris has been cleared, with the remaining work focused on accessing sections of the collapsed building that are difficult to reach.

Earlier, specialised rescue equipment detected what were believed to be possible signs of life beneath the rubble, raising hopes of locating additional survivors.

The disaster has also prompted investigations into possible violations of construction regulations, negligence and failures in the supervision and approval of the building.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed the DCI to investigate possible criminal conduct, including negligence, omissions or misconduct by public officials, developers, contractors and construction professionals involved in the project.

The investigations will examine the respective roles played by Nairobi City County officials, the private developer, contractors and regulatory agencies in the planning, approval, construction and supervision of the building.

The DPP noted that, at the time of its statement, Nairobi City County had not submitted an inquiry file to the ODPP concerning alleged malpractices linked to the development.

The directive was issued under Article 157(4) of the Constitution, which empowers the DPP to direct the Inspector-General of Police to investigate allegations of criminal conduct.

Upon completing the investigations, the DCI is expected to forward its findings to the ODPP for independent review and further directions.

The prosecution agency has indicated that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found criminally culpable, provided sufficient evidence is established, irrespective of their position or status.

The collapse has also exposed disagreements between Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and national government agencies over responsibility for enforcing construction standards and preventing building disasters in the capital.

Sakaja has criticised the handling of investigations into previous building collapses, raising questions about the role of national government agencies, including the police and the ODPP.

The agencies have, however, disputed his claims, with the emerging disagreements drawing attention to the respective responsibilities of county authorities, national regulators, developers and construction professionals.

The investigations are expected to establish whether failures in regulatory oversight, construction practices or enforcement contributed to the October 23 disaster.

The Capital FM Editorial Desk brings you accurate, timely and impartial news, covering Kenya and the world.