A Kenyan official says a six-story building has collapsed in the capital, Nairobi, with some people feared to be trapped in the debris. Nairobi county police chief Philip Ndolo said Friday that 10 people were rescued by residents of Tassia estate using their bare hands. Military personnel have arrived to assist with the search and rescue operation.
Building collapses are common in Nairobi, where housing is in high demand and unscrupulous developers often bypass regulations.
After eight buildings collapsed and killed 15 people in Kenya in 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered an audit of all the country’s buildings to see if they were up to code. The National Construction Authority found that 58% of buildings in Nairobi were unfit for habitation.