By Joseph Mose
One person has died after a five-storey building under construction collapsed in Ogembo, Kisii County, on Tuesday evening, triggering a rescue operation amid fears that others could be trapped under the rubble.
The exact number of people who were inside the building when it collapsed remains unknown, as emergency teams continue searching the site and assessing the extent of the incident.
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Preliminary reports indicate that at least two people may have been inside the structure at the time of the collapse. One is believed to have been a construction worker, while the other is reportedly a student who had entered the building seeking shelter from the evening rain.
The reports have not been independently verified, and authorities are expected to provide more details as the rescue operation continues.
The Kisii County disaster management team responded to the scene and immediately began rescue efforts. By midnight, rescuers had retrieved the body of a man from the rubble.
The search continued as emergency teams combed through the collapsed structure for anyone else who may have been trapped.
The collapse has also renewed concerns over compliance with construction safety regulations in the county, with calls for investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Preliminary reports suggest the building may previously have been condemned by relevant authorities, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.
Questions are expected to focus on whether the owner, contractor or relevant authorities failed to enforce or comply with construction safety requirements.
Kisii County Assembly Deputy Speaker Jacob Bagaka has called for accountability, saying serious action should be taken against those responsible.
“Serious action should be taken against the owner, construction contractor, and all those involved in the Itierio and Ogembo incident,” Bagaka said in a Facebook post.
Bagaka also called for the formation of a multi-agency team to reinspect buildings under construction across the region, particularly following the recent incident in Itierio.
He said comprehensive inspections would help safeguard construction workers and future occupants while preventing further loss of life.
The Ogembo collapse comes amid growing scrutiny of construction safety in the region, with authorities under pressure to establish whether proper approvals, inspections and safety measures were in place.
Rescue operations at the site were continuing as authorities worked to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether more people were trapped in the rubble.
