Panic as 6-storey building in Kiambu develops cracks

Fear and panic gripped the Kamakis area along the Eastern Bypass in Kiambu County after a 6-storey building housing over 100 people developed cracks.

Some tenants of the Deep East Apartments in the Destiny area raised their concerns and started fleeing the area after noticing the cracks in walls, beams and slabs.

A tenant James Mwangi whose house is located on the sixth floor told journalists that he panicked and started moving his belongings out of the building when he noticed the huge cracks and realized that doors could not close.

"I moved to the building in December last year, but I noticed that the walls started cracking a month ago and the doors would not close. I decided to move out," he said.

Police and Kiambu County government engineers rushed to the site as a huge crowd milled around the area.

Area chief Joses Ntwiga said he got information from tenants and immediately alerted the relevant authorities.

However, after inspecting the building, county engineers declared it was safe and that there was no need for evacuations at the moment.

John Kamau, the Ruiru sub-county engineer said the cracks are minor and do not affect structural elements like columns and beams.

However, he said tests have to be done to establish the safety of the building which has a capacity of housing 300 people.