Uthiru Building Collapse: Tenant Recalls Lucky Escape: ‘I was stuck for about 15 minutes’

A tenant, residing in the building that collapsed in Uthiru on Tuesday night, recounted the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

Preferring not to disclose their identity, the tenant described the rapid unfolding of events.

“On Monday, noticeable cracks appeared on the building, and we promptly raised the issue with our landlady,” he stated.

Adding: “We used a WhatsApp group to share photos and videos, expressing concerns about the building’s safety.”

Despite voicing their apprehensions to the landlady, the tenant mentioned they were assured of the building’s safety, citing an engineer’s assessment.

“The landlord reassured us, stating that an engineer had inspected the premises and confirmed its stability. She even mentioned plans to summon the engineer for another inspection.”

“At around 8:00 to 8:20 pm yesterday, we heard screams and rushed outside to investigate, only to witness the building beginning to bend,” the tenant continued.

In a bid to ensure the safety of their household, the tenant hurriedly assisted their househelp in relocating their children to a secure location.

“Although some stones fell on my nanny’s head, she fortunately sustained minor injuries and sought medical attention,” he reported.

The tenant added: “I then, rushed back to pick up a few things when the building started collapsing on top of me.”

Equipped with a helmet, the tenant managed to shield themselves from harm as a slab collapsed on him.

“I am a cyclist and I had put on my helmet to protect me when I went back but by the time I wanted to leave, the slab collapsed on me and I was lying on the floor.”

Miraculously, the helmet and a nearby couch shielded him, leaving only a few centimeters between him and the falling slab.

“I was stuck for about 15 minutes but luckily people who were outside guided me using light from torches and I was able to come out of the rubble,” he said.

Expressing gratitude for his family’s safety, the tenant emphasized the importance of accountability, urging authorities to take appropriate action.

“At least my nanny, children and myself are safe but I hope that the authorities will take necessary action and the landlady will be held accountable.”

Uthiru incident update. ^ba pic.twitter.com/oicYTTWs8m

— National Construction Authority (@ncakenya) May 8, 2024

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