Nine people were on Sunday confirmed dead and two others still fighting for their lives at Mulago hospital where they were rushed after a building under construction collapsed in Kiwempe village, Lukuli-Nanganda, Makindye division in Kampala.
The building located on Soweto Road collapsed Saturday night. Scores of workers are feared trapped in the rubble of the three-storied building. Several construction workers have been staying on-site following a presidential directive which restricted movement of people in a bid to stop further spread of COVID-19.
Police sealed off the site and opened investigations into the tragedy as the search for survivors continue.
The Deputy spokesperson for Kampala Metropolitan police, Luke Owoyesigyere said eight bodies and had been recovered from the rubble.
Police also rescued three people but one died moments after arrival at Mulago hospital.
However, authorities say the number of causalities may increase as more people are still trapped in the rubble.
The survivors were identified as Juma Bukenya, 18, and Isaac Keba, 23 both were working as potters at the site.
According to neighbors, the builders have been working on the site during day time and sleep in the same building during the night. It is believed that about 15- 20 workers were on the site by the time of the collapse.
“The building collapsed at around midnight, then people started screaming thinking maybe it is a bomb. So we rushed to the scene and found the whole building had fallen down. There were people screaming from inside.” A resident said.
The building had reportedly been condemned by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Physical Planning Department in March.
Mr Douglas Nsubuga, the Physical Planner at Makindye Division said that despite a directive for construction works to be halted pending a review of documentation regarding the building, the developer identified as Abraham Kalanzi took advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown to accelerate works on the site.