Kenya rescuers lose contact with buried victims of building collapse

NAIROBI – Rescue workers in Kenya have lost contact with two people buried alive under a building that collapsed in central Nairobi three days ago, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100, officials said yesterday.

Officials expect the death toll to rise as workers dig deeper into the rubble of the six-storey building, which was under construction when it collapsed around noontime on Monday. “We’ve pulled out five dead, and that brings the tally to 13,” Kenya government spokesman Alfred Mutua said.Rescuers have lost contact with two people who were still alive on Tuesday, but did not know if they had died, Mutua said.”We have to be hopeful until the last minute, until everyone is out.We realise that the more time it takes decreases the chances of survival, but we cannot lose hope,” Mutua said.Officials have been unable to say how many people, dead or alive, were still in the rubble of the building, which was full of construction workers when it collapsed.Kenyan rescuers were being led by an elite Israeli military team.US Navy engineers and British civilian experts have also joined in the search.No survivors were pulled out overnight after seven people were rescued on Tuesday, officials said.The collapse in a bustling central commercial district has prompted calls for tougher building code enforcement and better emergency response.The Daily Nation newspaper blamed the collapse on government negligence and cheap construction.It called for buildings to be checked for safety, and made safe or demolished if not.”There may well be complaints that such an exercise is draconian or expensive.Unfortunately, there is no other remedy – not unless we want to sit back and wait for another disaster and needless loss of life,” its editorial said.The Standard newspaper said the government’s response showed it had not learned from a 1998 US embassy bombing in Nairobi, which killed more than 250 people and wounded thousands.”It is apparent our state of disaster preparedness is harrowingly negligible.That is why we have to wait for Israelis to take charge of our rescue operations,” its editorial said.- Nampa-Reuters”We’ve pulled out five dead, and that brings the tally to 13,” Kenya government spokesman Alfred Mutua said.Rescuers have lost contact with two people who were still alive on Tuesday, but did not know if they had died, Mutua said.”We have to be hopeful until the last minute, until everyone is out.We realise that the more time it takes decreases the chances of survival, but we cannot lose hope,” Mutua said.Officials have been unable to say how many people, dead or alive, were still in the rubble of the building, which was full of construction workers when it collapsed.Kenyan rescuers were being led by an elite Israeli military team.US Navy engineers and British civilian experts have also joined in the search.No survivors were pulled out overnight after seven people were rescued on Tuesday, officials said.The collapse in a bustling central commercial district has prompted calls for tougher building code enforcement and better emergency response.The Daily Nation newspaper blamed the collapse on government negligence and cheap construction.It called for buildings to be checked for safety, and made safe or demolished if not.”There may well be complaints that such an exercise is draconian or expensive.Unfortunately, there is no other remedy – not unless we want to sit back and wait for another disaster and needless loss of life,” its editorial said.The Standard newspaper said the government’s response showed it had not learned from a 1998 US embassy bombing in Nairobi, which killed more than 250 people and wounded thousands.”It is apparent our state of disaster preparedness is harrowingly negligible.That is why we have to wait for Israelis to take charge of our rescue operations,” its editorial said.- Nampa-Reuters