One body recovered, several feared missing after Mbale building collapse

By Skika Reporter

One person has been confirmed dead and several others remain unaccounted for following the collapse of a multi-storey building in Mbale, as rescue teams race against time to search through the rubble.

The deceased, identified as Andrew Wonyakara, a builder, was pulled from the debris at around 3:00pm on Saturday, hours after the structure caved in during the early morning.

At least six people were injured in the accident while authorities say more victims could still be trapped beneath the wreckage.

The building, located in Namakwekwe Estate in Mbale’s Northern City Division, reportedly collapsed at about 2:00am after its upper floor gave way while occupants and nearby residents were asleep.

Emergency responders, including teams from the Uganda Red Cross Society, police, and local volunteers, were quickly deployed to the scene following distress calls. However, rescue efforts were initially slowed by a lack of heavy excavation equipment, making it difficult to access parts of the debris.

Elgon Regional Police spokesperson Rogers Taika said search and rescue operations are ongoing, alongside investigations into the cause of the collapse.

“We are continuing with the search as we also establish the circumstances that led to this incident,” he said.

The collapse also caused significant damage to at least four neighbouring houses, leaving several residents injured and homeless.

Witnesses described a terrifying scene as the building came down without warning.

Scholastica Akello, 65, a retired health inspector living in a nearby house, said she was asleep when the حادث occurred.

“I heard a loud noise and initially thought it was trucks unloading materials, as is common in the area. Moments later, bricks started falling through the roof, and I heard my daughter screaming that the house was collapsing,” she recounted.

Ms Akello sustained injuries after being struck by falling debris and was later rescued by neighbours.

Another resident, Gloria Nafuna, said her family narrowly survived after rubble crashed into their room.

“When I woke up, it was around 2am and the blocks had already entered our room. The baby was covered by debris, and I had to struggle to pull them out,” she said, adding that neighbours helped rush the child to a nearby health facility.

Residents say they had repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of the construction, citing poor materials and lack of protective measures at the site.

“We talked to the caretaker several times, but nothing was done. The materials looked weak, and there were no safety precautions,” Ms Nafuna said.

Mbale City authorities confirmed that construction of the building had begun about three years ago. City engineer Johnson Gimuyi revealed that the project had previously been halted due to non-compliance with building standards, but developers allegedly resumed work at night in defiance of the directive.

City clerk Assy Abirebe acknowledged the incident and said investigations are underway, including an independent probe by the National Building Review Board.

Angry residents have since questioned enforcement of building regulations, with some accusing officials of negligence.

“We warned them about the poor work, but no action was taken. Authorities should be held accountable,” said Anthony Kimeruga, a neighbour.

Police have cordoned off the area to allow for ongoing rescue and recovery operations, as hopes remain of finding survivors beneath the rubble.

Authorities say the focus now is on completing the search and ensuring accountability, amid growing concerns over construction safety standards in rapidly expanding urban centres like Mbale.