Four bodies recovered from collapsed building

JINJA-A Senior Four leaver is among the four bodies that have so far been recovered in the rubble of the three-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday.

Joseph Isabirye now deceased, sat for his 2019 UCE examinations at Matuumo Secondary School in Butagaya sub-county in Jinja district.

Ibrahim Nkono who was found at the Jinja Hospital morgue on Thursday said the deceased (Isabirye) was temporarily working as a potter at the construction site in his vacation.

"Unfortunately my brother has passed on when results of the UCE are not yet out, we are going to miss him as family," Nkono said.

Nkono added that the deceased left home in Butagaya to come to Jinja to look for greener pastures as he waits for his results.

Some of the residents who gathered at the building site in Jinja

According to the Kira region Police spokesperson, Diana Nandawula, four bodies were recovered from the rubble.

She added that two bodies were recovered on Wednesday night and two have been recovered today from the concrete rubble as Police and the army continue with the search for more bodies.

"Some bodies are still trapped in the rubble but excavators from UPDF and Ministry of Works are working tirelessly to dig out more bodies," Nandawula said.

Denis Muhoofa, a resident of Namubi village in Butaleja district is also one of the victims. His body was recovered on Wednesday night. The bodies that were recovered on Thursday were yet to be identified by Police.

The bodies recovered today bring the death toll from the building collapse to four.

The deputy Regional Police Commander of Kira, Onesmus Mwesigwa said Police and  the army are working hard to search for more bodies.

He added that Police will come out with a full report about the incident after investigations are done.

UPDF soldiers guarding the site 

The Jinja district resident commissioner, Eric Sakwa, blamed Jinja Municipal and district engineers for approving plans after receiving bribes.

"These engineers do not bother to come to the buildings sites to check materials to be used they just approve plans after eating money," Sakwa said.

Sakwa said that the building collapsed on 37 workers on Wednesday and 12 people have been rescued adding that 25 people are still missing and suspected to be trapped in the concrete rubble.

He encouraged people especially those planning to construct storey buildings to ensure usage of proper construction material. 

"Iron bars that were used at the collapsed building were Y10 and Y12 which are substandard, they would have used proper iron bars and mixing of cement was also poorly done," Sakwa added.

The three storey building belonging to unidentified lady of Somali national collapsed on Wednesday burying over 30 people. 

Survivors narrate ordeal

Some of the survivors who were found at the collapsed building site narrated to Newvision their ordeal of how they survived.

Ronald Mukoova said he was in charge of registering workers who had reported at the site to work and these included mansions, helpers and potters.

He said he registered 38 workers and by the time of the collapse, he was on the third floor of the building adding that part of the concrete rubble fell onto his legs.

"I was lucky that rescuers came and removed the rubble and pulled me out, that is how I managed to be saved," Mukoova said.

Abubaka Balikoowa said on Tuesday, he approached the engineer at the site only identified as Yasin requesting for a job and he told him to come and start working on Wednesday.

Balikoowa said he woke up early on Wednesday morning and rode his bike up to the site to work.

 Police officers inspecting the site  

"As soon as I arrived at the site at 7:00am on Wednesday, I was registered in the book. I was assigned to do the finishing on the third floor of the building as others were assigned to do plastering on the second floor," Balikoowa said.

He  said he felt like an earthquake moving and realised quickly that the building was falling. He said he rushed towards the third floor from the second and managed to survive but his boxer motorcycle registration number UDJ 581Y was smashed beyond recognition.   

Wilberforce Gwalunku, a 23-year-old resident of Jinja said he was doing pottery work on the 3rd floor after reporting for work at 7:00am.

"I managed to survive without injuries because the building collapsed and it was the second floor that was affected a lot," Gwalunku said.

He said after the building collapsed; he managed to walk over the rubble unhurt.