Rescuers scramble to save dozens trapped in collapsed Nairobi building

A six-story residential building that collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, late Friday left 20 people dead and as many as 73 people trapped in the debris. The building is one of many illegally constructed structures in Nairobi for which developers bypassed housing regulations to save costs.

The 198-room building, situated close to a river in the rural Nairobi town of Huruma, collapsed after days of heavy rainfall. Rescue workers and residents sifted through the rubble and rescued 135 people, according to police figures. Kenya’s military also assisted, using heavy machinery to lift concrete slabs. Local authorities evacuated residents in two adjacent buildings also close to the river. Floods from the torrential downpour have affected more than 800 homes, according to Kenya’s Red Cross.

As people remain trapped in the debris for days,aid workers admit a growing concern for their survival.

“In conditions of no air, no food, no water, it’s very difficult for that person to stay alive,” Red Cross official Anthony Mwangi told Reuters.

Kenya’s National Construction Authority had earlier declared the building unfit for habitation, but it was not torn down. The owner of the building, Samuel Kamau, who also owns four other buildings in the region, will appear in court tomorrow. Officials said he did not have permission to rent out the rooms.

“People who’ve died in Huruma have died an unnecessary death,” said nominated legislator Johnson Sakaja on Sunday. “That death is a product of corruption.”

Local officials who collect bribes enable contractors to bypass the required building codes. Nairobi Gov. Evans Kidero said he will fire the city officials who approved construction of the collapsed building.

Last year, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the National Construction Authority to inspect all the country’s buildings to ensure they met code after eight buildings collapsed and at least 15 people died. The audit report revealed 58 percent of buildings in the capital are unfit for habitation.

During a visit to the Kenyatta National Hospital, where the rescued victims are receiving treatment, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said the government is taking responsibility for victims’ medical needs.

“We will clear all the bills and none of the victims is expected to pay anything,” Mailu told The Star, a local newspaper.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.