Occupants of a seven-storey building in Kasarani were compelled to evacuate the building on Tuesday, August 29, after the property started to sink.
According to tenants who shared images of the compromised structure, the incident occurred around 1 am. The tenants said they detected irregularities when they noticed cracks on the floors during the morning hours of Tuesday.
The majority of these cracks were observed on the ground floor, where vehicles are parked.
Following the incident, the landlord took the initiative to inform officers at Kasarani Police Station, along with officials from the National Construction Authority (NCA).
As a matter of precaution, police ordered the tenants to evacuate and seek alternative accommodation.
NCA officials, meanwhile, discreetly marked the building with an 'X' sign. This action coincided with the fabrication of a secure gate, effectively barricading any tenants from reentering the compromised structure.
The exact trigger for the building's sinking remains under investigation. Preliminary findings, however, suggest a compromise originating from its foundation.
Notably, certain tenants hold the belief that modifications undertaken during a construction adjustment might have played a role in undermining the integrity of the foundation pillars.
Several residents provided accounts of frequently hearing tremors whenever nearby construction workers were engaged in excavating the foundation of the adjacent storey building, which was still in its foundational stage.
Pictures reviewed by Kenyans.co.ke, showed that the foundation pillars had already started to exhibit a noticeable slant, accompanied by instances of the ground floor caving in.
"The Q building is sinking. The occupants of the Q building in Kasarani seasons have been asked to evacuate following damages in the foundation caused by excavators. The building is barely a year old," Twitter user Ressy stated.
