By Basant El-Faramawy
Three more bodies were recovered from the debris of a collapsed building in Nairobi on Thursday, raising the confirmed death toll to five, police said. The 18-story building collapsed on Oct. 23 along a busy commercial street while its upper floors were still under construction.
Recovery operations near completion
Authorities indicated that recovery operations were nearing completion two weeks after the disaster. Sixteen people remain missing, while four were rescued alive in the immediate aftermath. The ground and basement floors had been rented to businesses, including an electronics shop, a grocery store, a textile shop and a butchery.
Governor blames weak enforcement
Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building had not been approved for construction and that the renting of completed floors was illegal. He attributed the tragedy to weak enforcement of construction regulations and minimal penalties for developers who disregard building laws.
Developer questioned, no arrests
The building was owned by two partners under a joint venture agreement. Investigators have questioned the developer, but no arrests have been made.
Kenya's building collapse record
Government data shows Kenya has recorded 98 building collapses over the past five years, resulting in 104 deaths and 80 injuries.
International conference and thermal imaging
Kenya is currently co-hosting the International Conference on Strengthening Search and Rescue Services in Africa alongside the United Nations and the Russian government. Three days after the collapse, the government partnered with a Chinese company that deployed thermal imaging technology at the site, which detected two people trapped beneath the rubble.
