Mathare North: 4 Rescued After Building Half Demolished Collapses

UPDATE: Four people have been rescued after being trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building that was under demolition in Area 1, Mathare North, according to Kenya Red Cross which thanked the efforts of a multi-agency rescue team.

"Efforts to reach others suspected to be trapped continue. Three out of the four rescued have been taken to a nearby health facility, while one with minor injuries was treated at the scene," stated Kenya Red Cross on X.

Several people are reportedly feared dead after a building that was half demolished collapsed on Tuesday, May 14 at Mathare North, Nairobi County.

An eyewitness who spoke to Viral Tea revealed that the building was being demolished on Monday at Area One, but the incident occurred today after a loud bang was heard.

According to blogger Cyprian Nyakundi who shared an image of the collapsed building, those trapped in the rubble were removing scrap metals from the remaining parts.

"Several people are feared dead inside the rubble. This is Mathare North area one," he posted on X.

A building being demolished in Mathare North, Nairobi on May 8, 2024. /THE NAIROBI TIMES

Kenya Red Cross on its part confirmed the incident, stating that "There are fears that multiple individuals may be trapped beneath the rubble. Our rescue team has been dispatched."

The number of casualties was yet to be revealed by the time of publishing this article. 

This is only the second time the ongoing demolitions in the informal settlement have made headlines for the wrong reasons.

On Monday, May 6, Viral Tea reported that protests erupted after a 17-year-old boy was reported to have died in Mathare North as a bulldozer demolished houses in the informal settlement.

Sources told us at the time that the boy was struck fatally on the head as the demolition exercise that targeted homes on riparian land was ongoing.

An eyewitness told Viral Tea that the demos took place at Area 1 in the estate pitting youth against police officers.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Friday, May 3 ordered the demolition of buildings and structures illegally erected on riparian lands along Nairobi's riverbanks, mainly impacting structures within 30 metres of the Ngong, Mathare, and Nairobi rivers, a move which displaced thousands of residents despite the government's stance that the demolitions were for their safety from further tragedies caused by the ongoing torrential rains and flooding.

The lack of adequate notice and the immediate displacement of many people, despite a 48-hour vacation notice issued by President Ruto, raised concerns about the humanitarian implications of such drastic measures.

The deceased boy's mother, speaking after the incident, accused the authorities of denying her the chance to take her son to the mortuary, adding that she had no idea where he was taken.

The woman would fault the police for allegedly instructing the operator of the bulldozer to escape, possibly to avoid repercussions given that it was last placed at the scene where the boy died.

She further demanded that the government produce her son or at the very least take him to Kisumu County to be laid to rest, adding "he will not be buried in Lang'ata because I have no other son like him. Ruto and his government took the life of my child."