The search and rescue operation following the collapse of a four storey building in Murang’a town Monday evening has come to a close.
Authorities put the death toll at five following the disaster that happened at around 4pm on Monday trapping several workers in the debris.
Murang’a County Commissioner Patrick Mukuria confirmed that five men lost their lives at the site while four others are recuperating at Murang’a Level Five Hospital.
The rescue operations that were taken over by the Disaster Response Battalion, a unit under the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), was concluded on Tuesday evening after all the rubble was flattened and it was confirmed that no more workers were trapped underneath.
The officers arrived at the scene at around 11pm on the fateful day of the incident to the relief of residents who had helped rescue four people.
The incident shocked Murang’a town to the core and saw many abandon their daily activities to witness the rescue operation.
In 2021, a similar incident occurred at Sun Star Hotel in Gatanga when an ongoing works on a four storey building collapsed, causing the death of six workers.
Murang’a County Police Commander David Mathiu said the law will be strictly followed and those found culpable of causing the deaths of innocent Kenyans will be dealt with.
"The law is clear and ignorance to the law is not a defence in a criminal charge. Any person that might have involved in this act will be unequivocally dealt with according to the law,” he said.
Senator Joe Nyutu on his part challenged county governments to ensure they conduct routine inspections of ongoing buildings to avert such incidences.
"Had the county government done that, maybe they would have noticed anomalies and stopped the construction and people would not have died," he said.
The senator condoled with the affected families and underscored the need to ensure such deaths do not occur in future.