Governor Nassir confirms successful controlled demolition of Unsafe building

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has announced the successful controlled demolition of the condemned Storey building that began sinking last week at Kilifi Corner of Mombasa County.

In a statement to the public, the governor stated that an assessment by technicians is currently ongoing, and a report shall be made public soon after completion.

“The planned controlled demolition has been completed. Clearing of the site is underway. A technical assessment is currently ongoing, and the findings shall be shared in due course,” Nassir announced.

He urged the public to stay away from the cordoned area until the county announces it is safe for them.

“We urge members of the public to maintain the safety cordon and avoid the area until further notice,” he urged.

The demolition was handled by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) with the security support of the National Police Service (NPS), the National Youth Service (NYS), the Kenya Army, and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

No casualties have so far been reported.

The operation, which is currently ongoing, is expected to last for eight hours, but the authorities had earlier confirmed that it would take around an hour for the dust to settle after the collapse, which happened at 12:55 pm.

Activities within a 1.2 Km radius of the site have been suspended, with the Nyali Bridge, which is the key link between the Mainland and the island, being closed for the duration when the exercise shall be ongoing.

Emergency teams, including fire engines and ambulances, have been deployed and remain on standby. The building began sinking at the start of this month, endangering adjacent residential and commercial buildings.

After investigations by the relevant authority, it was discovered that the structure posed an imminent danger to adjacent buildings and the broader neighborhood, which led to the order of demolition by the City County government yesterday.