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Revealed: How supervisor ignored warning hours before Kasarani building collapsed

collapsed building in Kasarani

Rescuers at the site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Mercy Chelangat | Nation Media Group

A supervisor in charge of the ill-fated Kasarani building twice disregarded warnings from authorities to stop its construction on Tuesday, it has now emerged.

Two women who were helping with the building's construction told the Nation that they noticed cracks on the ground floor walls on Tuesday morning.

collapsed building in Kasarani

Rescue workers at the site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Mercy Chelangat | Nation Media Group

Another construction worker who spoke to the Nation said City Hall officers arrived at the site on Tuesday morning for inspection.

The officers are said to have advised workers to leave the construction site immediately.

collapsed building in Kasarani

An aerial view of the site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group

However, the building's supervisor reportedly asked the workers to ignore the warning and proceed with construction.

Witnesses also said officers from the National Construction Authority also attempted to stop the construction on Tuesday morning but were chased away.

collapsed building in Kasarani

The site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Tobias Wangila | Nation Media Group

Rescue efforts for victims officially began on Tuesday evening, coming hours after a seven-storey building that was under construction collapsed in Kasarani, Nairobi.

Seven storey building collapses in Kasarani

The number of people trapped under the rubble is still unclear, but locals at the site said around eight or nine people were near the building when it came down on Tuesday. 

collapsed building in Kasarani

The site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. The diagonal lines show where stair cases were. 

Photo credit: Mercy Chelangat | Nation Media Group

Several people, mostly construction workers, are feared trapped in the rubble. 

collapsed building in Kasarani

The site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Tobias Wangila | Nation Media Group

Rescue workers could be seen Tuesday night as they tried to locate the victims. Excavators are also on site to help with moving heavy concrete. 

collapsed building in Kasarani

The site of the collapsed building in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Tobias Wangila | Nation Media Group

Those injured have been taken to St Francis Hospital in Kasarani. 

collapsed building in Kasarani

Police control a crowd that had gathered around a  building that collapsed in Kasarani on November 15, 2022. 

Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group

Ronald Karauri, the MP for Kasarani, arrived on site following news of the building collapse.