KCCA engineer arrested after building collapses, traps workers

Joseph Balikuddembe, the Kampala Capital City Authority engineering supervisor in Makindye division, has been arrested following the collapse of a storey building at a construction site.

The building collapsed on Friday night, trapping several workers under the rubble.

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago who visited the scene revealed that the collapsed building did not have an approved plan.

Lukwago also ordered the demolition of a nearby building which is still under construction and is owned by the same person.

New Vision was at the scene shortly after the building collapsed at about 9pm. The building is located in Kifampa and Kelezia zones behind Calendar Rest House.

By midnight, rescue efforts by the local people had paid off after one person was successfully dug out of the rubble.

According to those who took part in the rescue mission, several others were still trapped under the debris.

The victims were allegedly construction workers on a night shift.

At about midnight, Makindye division mayor Ali Mulyanyama brought in an excavator to try and ease the work.

Mulyanyama told New Vision by 3am, he was still making calls to get more equipment to join the rescue mission without much success.

"We shall continue trying our level best to ensure that those who are down there are rescued," he said.

By Saturday morning, rescue efforts were still underway.

The cause of the collapse is not yet known but a Police officer at the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity said engineers might have used substandard raw materials.