1 person rescued from collapsed building in Kenya as others remain missing

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — One person was rescued from the rubble of a building that collapsed in the capital, Nairobi, more than 24 hours after its floors pancaked, police said Saturday.

The building was under construction on a busy commercial street in the Eastleigh area, which is often crowded with thousands of traders and residents. Police said more than 10 stories were under construction.

Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said Friday that seven people had been reported missing and rescue teams had made contact with some of those trapped in the rubble.

The man was rescued Saturday and taken to a hospital.

Government spokesman Charles Owino said the registered owner of the building was deceased, and his family and another party were in charge.

Vincent Ochieng, a disaster officer with the Kenya Red Cross, said the organization had recorded 31 missing persons but was still verifying the reports. Some workers may have left the site before the building collapsed, he said.

Rescuers used sniffer dogs and thermal sensors to locate people trapped in the rubble.

Businesses in buildings near the collapsed structure remained closed as business owners counted their losses and blamed the local government for failing to enforce building regulations.