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Deadly building collapse in Kenya | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
At least one person has died after a multi-story building collapsed on the outskirts of Kenya's capital, Nairobi. | |
Dozens of people are feared trapped in the ruins of the building in Kiambu town, which was under construction. | |
Red Cross officials said 15 severely ill people had been pulled from the rubble and taken to hospital. | |
It is not clear what caused the collapse, but correspondents say Kenyan building companies are often criticised for flouting safety regulations. | |
There have been suggestions that heavy rain in the area recently could have weakened the five-storey structure. | |
The rescue operation continued late into the night, as officials said an unknown number of people could still be inside the building. | |
Up to 50 workers were believed to have been on site at the time of the collapse. | |
Some of those trapped have made mobile phone calls to alert relatives. | Some of those trapped have made mobile phone calls to alert relatives. |
'Rules broken' | |
One eyewitness reported hearing a loud bang when the building cracked before it collapsed. | One eyewitness reported hearing a loud bang when the building cracked before it collapsed. |
The incident is not the first building collapse in Nairobi | |
A reporter for the Associated Press news agency said he saw a woman's body in the wreckage, while one rescued man told AP several people had been in the room with him when the building fell. | |
The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says the incident was not the first of its kind in recent years. | |
Following the collapse of other buildings in recent years, there were calls for stricter building regulations to be enforced, says our correspondent. | |
But Nairobi is currently experiencing a construction boom, and companies are often criticised for cutting corners and failing to enforce strict safety measures as profitable high rises spring up over the city, he adds. |