30 people are said to be trapped after a building under construction collapsed on Wednesday evening Kisumu County, western Kenya.
Sources say 15 people were rescued while those who are seriously injured among them a school pupil were rushed to hospital.
The victims, mainly workers, were trapped while having lunch at the ill-fated shopping mall that was under construction. Police said recovery missions may take longer due lack of proper equipment.
Eight people, among them a school pupil, were rushed to hospital in critical condition.
The construction of the ill-fated building had reached second floor. Most of the workers were taking their lunch when the incident occurred.
Investigations are ongoing to find out whether the building was approved by the engineers or it was illegally being constructed.
Several incidents of building collapses have been reported in the recent past in Kenya, state officials issuing warnings to building contractors and urging the public to be cautious.
More than 35 buildings have collapsed in the last five years in Kenya, burying at least 350 people and injuring hundreds even as more as authorities assure residents that they will crack the whip on errant contractors after every tragedy.
This is according to a three-year study by Questworks, a design and engineering firm, which found that contractors steal cement and use less steel to end up with weak structures.
