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Three killed, seven injured after wall collapses in Westlands


Three people died while seven others were injured when a wall caved in and buried them.

The incident happened along Brookside drive, Westlands, bringing the death toll from construction sites to eight in less than a month’s time in the same area.

The three were part of a ten-member workforce that was constructing a water channel in the swampy area when the adjacent wall collapsed.

They were diverting a river in the area that was flowing onto the road under the orders of a private developer.

ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION

Nairobi City Council had earmarked buildings in the area for demolition and said construction in the area was a breach of the law.

Parklands MCA Jaffer Kassam said the construction was illegal and the requisite precautionary measures were ignored.

“We are tracking down the contractor and the owner of the home for questioning because we could not trace them at the time of the incident,” said Mr Kassam who promised to have them arrested.

A survivor, Mr Evans Mwalishi, said: “We told the foreman that it was not safe with the 10-feet deep trench but he did not take us seriously. It did not take 30 minutes before the wall caved in and buried us but only seven of us came out alive.”