Man Awaits News of Mother Trapped in Tanzania Building Collapse

In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, a man informed the BBC that he is awaiting updates regarding his mother, who remains unaccounted for two days following a building’s collapse. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa reported that rescue efforts have successfully extracted 86 individuals alive from the debris, while 16 fatalities have been confirmed. Emmanuel Mallya shared with the BBC that his mother was employed in the structure when it collapsed on Saturday morning. He recounted, “She called me and later told me that she was attending to customers. Two hours later, I was informed that the building had collapsed,” he said. He added, “The rescue team told us they are in touch with her and other people there.“Looking at the efforts being done, we have hope that she will come up alive, we do leave that to God.” Mr. Mallya is one of several individuals awaiting news of relatives caught in the collapsed structure, situated in the bustling Kariakoo market district. The precise number of individuals still trapped, however, remains undetermined. Rescuers have been delivering water, glucose, and oxygen to those trapped by utilizing narrow openings in the wreckage. Prime Minister Majaliwa stated that an inquiry into the collapse’s cause would commence once the operation to recover all individuals from the rubble concludes. Authorities have been seeking information from the building’s owner regarding the event. Mr. Majaliwa delivered these remarks at a ceremony held at Dar es Salaam’s Mnazi Mmoja grounds, where thousands of grieving individuals convened to offer condolences and retrieve the remains of their family members for interment. The prime minister also mentioned that among those successfully rescued, five individuals are still hospitalized for observation. He affirmed, “The rescue activities will continue day and night until we get the last person saved.” The AFP news agency reported that after the structure initially collapsed around 09:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Saturday morning, hundreds of emergency personnel employed sledgehammers and their hands to clear the debris. Subsequently, cranes and additional heavy equipment were deployed to assist. Providentially, the collapse occurred prior to the market area reaching peak activity. A 19-member team has been established to conduct inspections of buildings throughout the city. This group will evaluate structural soundness and propose safety protocols to avert future disasters. For additional news from the African continent, visit BBCAfrica.com. Updates are available by following @BBCAfrica on Twitter, BBC Africa on Facebook, or bbcafrica on Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s external linking policy is available.