Kenya police arrest Nairobi collapsed building owner
— 2nd May 2016
Photo: Nearby residents have been evacuated from the area.( AP)
The owner of a building which collapsed in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on Friday, killing at least 21 people, has been arrested, according to police
Samuel Karanja Kamau would appear in court on Tuesday, police added.
Earlier, officials said he did not have permission to rent out 119 rooms in the six-storey building. Mr Kamau has not yet commented on the allegation.
More than 90 people are still feared trapped beneath the rubble, according to reports which say rescue operations are continuing.
The governor of Nairobi, Evans Kidero, said that officials who approved the construction of the building in the poor neighbourhood of Huruma would be sacked.
Three days of rainfall caused landslides and flooded roads in Nairobi.
According Kenya’s Red Cross ,more than 800 homes were affected by the flooding,.
It criticised “chaotic scenes” as rescuers arrived after the Friday night collapse.
Nairobi’s police chief has said rescue teams were delayed on their way to the scene by hours-long traffic jams caused by flooded roads.
Huruma is made up of narrow streets, and this made it more difficult for rescue workers to reach the scene, local media reports. (BBC)
