100 tenants rescued from ‘sinking’ building

ABOUT 100 people have been rescued from an impending disaster in Karatina town. The tenants of a two-storey residential building in the town were evacuated on Thursday afternoon for fear of a collapse. Police, Karatina municipal officials and wananchi helped the panicked tenants to move out of the 'sinking' building. The tenants said the floors and walls had developed huge cracks before the evacuation. They said the cracks developed after a new builder dug trenches next to the house.

Locals flocked the scene, with police having a difficult time controlling the crowds. Police boss James Kazomba said the police had been informed of the building on the verge of a collapse. He said they were investigating whether the trenches for the new building had weakened the two-storey house. "The building which is said to have been constructed more than 30 years ago had no firm foundation or metal bars to hold it under the ground and so we could not allow anybody to sleep there,” Kazomba said.

Sources said the council has declined to approve the building because of its weak foundation. Muthua councillor Jack Kanja said the council's planning department will hold a crisis meeting to find out the person who approved the construction of the building. No death or injury were reported.