Survivors recount horror moments after sewer line collapsed in Shauri Moyo killing four

James Musyoki, a survivor of the devastating sewer line collapse at Shauri Moyo in Kamukunji Constituency, recalls the horrifying moment when the ground suddenly gave way.

Describing the incident, he remembers being engulfed by a torrent of soil, which buried him up to his neck.

“When I was finally pulled out from the debris, I saw two other individuals who had tragically lost their lives. I was somewhat disoriented and unconscious, so the entire tragedy unfolded very rapidly around me,” he said.

This catastrophic event, which occurred around 1 am at the construction site in Shauri Moyo, tragically claimed the lives of four workers and left several others injured.

James explains that their only light source was torches, which proved inadequate for the conditions. The poor lighting, combined with the sudden collapse, exacerbated the severity of the disaster.

Additionally, James expressed concern that some individuals might still be trapped under the rubble. However, this information has not yet been confirmed as search and rescue operations continue to determine if there are any more victims still buried in the debris.

Shadrack, a boda boda operator, said he saw one worker being buried under the debris but was later rescued and taken to the hospital.

“It was our first day at work and we were excited," he says.

However, when they started digging for the sewer line, the ground gave way during the day, covering a young man up to his waist.

"We managed to pull him out and I ferried him to the hospital where my supervisor directed me to,” he adds.

He said as they continued digging, the ground kept collapsing. "People saw the danger, but it wasn’t taken seriously enough, and no effective measures were put in place to prevent further collapses.”

Another survivor shared his experience of the tragic event, which unfolded while he was briefly away from the worksite to buy cigarettes.

“I left the site to get some cigarettes. I started smoking, and after just a couple of puffs, I noticed people running towards the scene. That’s when I realised something serious had happened. Tragically, four of my colleagues died, and three others were injured. I’m not sure if anyone else was inside the hole and got trapped,” he says.

He further mentioned that the injured workers were swiftly transported to the hospital. He is now calling on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if there are additional individuals still buried under the rubble.

He noted that there is a need for a comprehensive search to ensure that no one else is unaccounted for.

In response to concerns that people might still be trapped, residents of the Shauri Moyo staged a protest. They blocked roads, which led the police to deploy tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Eyewitnesses have questioned the details and circumstances of the incident.

National Police Service spokesperson Resila Onyango said rescue teams had rescued three people.

“They were excavating a sewerage line when it collapsed. We have lost four while three have been rescued and taken to Mama Lucy Hospital, thanks to a joint operation involving the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade, NMS Ambulance, Kenya Red Cross, and Kenya Police,” Kenya Red Cross said in a statement.