This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
On a fateful Monday morning, September 23, 2019, disaster struck at Precious Talent School in Nairobi's Ng'ando area when a classroom collapsed, claiming the lives of at least seven pupils.
According to Kenya Red Cross, dozens of learners were trapped under the rubble, with many more injured in the tragedy.
Of the 59 pupils admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital, most were in stable condition, with soft tissue injuries mainly on their head and ribs, as confirmed by KNH communication manager Hezekiel Gikambi.
The two-storey building, which housed junior primary pupils, caved in just a few minutes to 7am, with rescue teams from Kenya Red Cross, St John's Ambulance, school workers, residents, and other Good Samaritans rushing to the scene to save the trapped children.
As rescue efforts unfolded, parents watched in despair, with some rescuers using rudimentary tools, including sticks, to dig up the rubble.
The school owner, Mr Moses Wainaina, attributed the collapse to an 'accident' caused by Nairobi City County's recent excavation of a sewer line behind the classrooms, which he claimed weakened the building's foundation.
However, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang refused to comment on the incident, citing ongoing investigations.
MP John Kiarie blamed the disaster on the national and county governments, saying they had left the people of Ng'ando to their devices, with no public social amenities in the area.
