Five days after the accident, police have secured the perimeter in Eastleigh's 9th Street, a dense commercial district where a massive pile of debris remains visible. Witnesses describe the sudden disaster, with Philip Musyoki, a 28-year-old shoe shiner from a neighboring street, recounting how sand fell from the structure before it began to tremble repeatedly and finally collapsed. The event was accompanied by thick dust that obscured visibility for onlookers.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 23, involving a building of approximately fifteen floors that was still under construction. At the time of the collapse, workers were present on site while merchants occupied the basement and ground floor. According to the Kenyan army, six individuals were rescued from the rubble. While one woman's body has been recovered, authorities report that 11 people remain missing ten days after the event.
The technical causes of the collapse are currently unknown as an investigation is underway. Local residents suspect a lack of cement contributed to the failure, while workers who managed to escape reported seeing cracks on a pillar moments before the structure gave way. Dek Abdullahi, a 37-year-old optician operating a shop on the adjacent street, noted that the timing may have prevented a higher casualty count. He observed that because it was Friday, a day of prayer, many residents were at the mosque rather than in the area when the building fell.
Sources: Le Monde International.