Final Message from Uthiru Landlady to Tenants Before Building Collapse

08, May 2024 / 2 min read/ By Livenow Africa

New details have surfaced regarding the sequence of events leading up to the tragic collapse of the building in Uthiru, which was home to 34 tenants.

Earlier on Tuesday, both the landlady and tenants had observed cracks in the structure. Despite this, the initial assessment by an engineer reassured them of the building's safety.

In a message circulated on the tenants' WhatsApp group, the landlady expressed her concerns about the impact of heavy rains on the building's foundation.

"Hi All. Engineer Chege has inspected the building and confirmed its structural integrity. However, due to the heavy rainfall, there's concern about soil saturation affecting the foundation," the message read.

"I care deeply for each of you and our building's safety. Please reach out if you have any worries."

Following this, the landlady informed tenants of her decision to seek a second opinion from another engineer, scheduled to arrive at 8:00 am the next day.

Tragically, the four-story building on Naivasha Road collapsed around 8:00 pm that same day. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja disclosed that the county emergency team, supported by locals and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from Kahawa Barracks, responded swiftly to the incident.

Initially, four tenants were reported missing, but all were later found safe. The Nairobi City County Government provided immediate humanitarian aid, with plans for further support and reintegration efforts.

The Kenya Red Cross, part of the emergency response, transported one female tenant to the hospital, while others sustained minor injuries.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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