Several feared dead as 18-storey Nairobi skyscraper suddenly collapses

Several feared dead as 18-storey Nairobi skyscraper suddenly collapses An under-construction skyscraper has collapsed in the busy densely populated Eastleigh neighbourhood of Kenya's capital Nairobi as more than a dozen floors stacked on top of each other An 18-storey skyscraper has collapsed in Kenya with many people feared trapped beneath the rubble. The building collapsed in Kenya's capital Nairobi as clouds of dust were hurled into the air as more than a dozen floors pancaked on top of one another in the horrific indecent. The building, which was reportedly around 18 storeys high, was in the densely populated Eastleigh neighbourhood which is crowded with residents and traders. Search and rescue teams were dispatched to the site of the disaster after the building, which had been under construction when it collapsed, came down in an enormous pile of rubble. Rescue operations were complicated by people who had begun looting neighboring shops, with police firing tear gas as officers sought to clear the area and provide access to emergency response teams. Joseph Kaula, a plasterer working on the fifth floor, said he had made it out just before the collapse. He described hearing screams and seeing other workers running outside, shouting that the building was collapsing. "I was the last person to walk out before it collapsed and the whole area was filled with dust," Kaula said. He added that some of his colleagues may be trapped in the basement. Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud said the building had more than 10 upper floors under construction at the time of the collapse. He added that one injured woman was rescued and hospitalized, and another person who was crying for help had gone silent. Mr Mohamud also warned of a possible secondary collapse, as the collapsed building was leaning on its neighbor. The emergency response has been lacking, according to reports from the scene. There was little in the way of heavy equipment immediately available following the collapse. Hours later, a group of rescuers in hard hats were using poles stripped from trees to poke at the huge pile of rubble. One excavator arrived on site and started moving the concrete bound with steel away so that the rescuers could reach the basement and the ground level, which had been rented out for an electronics shop, a butchery and a grocery while construction continued on the upper floors. "We are expecting more machines so that we remove those boulders," the police chief said. Residents said some of their loved ones who were trapped had made phone calls calling for help immediately after the collapse, but that their phones later became unreachable. Building collapses are a recurring problem in Nairobi. County officials responsible for issuing building permits have been accused of failing to conduct adequate inspections to ensure developers comply with safety guidelines and construction standards. "Investigations will be carried out," Mohamud said. "We'll make sure people face the law for any negligence." Nairobi Gov. Johnson Sakaja said the building had been approved for construction, but did not have a certificate of occupation, so opening shops on the ground floor was against the law. Kenya's county governments need stronger enforcement powers, he said, arguing that lenient penalties for non-compliance are just a "slap on the wrist" for developers that violate regulations.