A tragic Sunday evening in Mombasa’s Bamburi Mwisho area turned fatal after a septic tank caved in beneath a structure used by football fans, leaving at least four people dead and several others feared trapped.
The incident occurred in Nyali Constituency, where a hall, commonly used for screening football matches and movies, had been built directly over an old septic tank. As fans gathered to enjoy a football match, the floor beneath them suddenly gave way, sending people and debris crashing into the collapsed tank below.
Confirming the incident, Mombasa County Commissioner Mahmoud Noor said rescue teams were on the ground and working urgently.
“They were watching a football match when the incident occurred, and they fell inside,” said a distressed relative of one of the victims. “Everything is trapped inside the septic.”
The collapse sparked panic in the neighborhood, as relatives and friends rushed to the scene, hoping for news of their loved ones.
Emergency responders, including police officers and county disaster teams, launched rescue operations immediately after the collapse, using equipment and manpower to dig through the debris.
Residents have since questioned how such a structure could have been built on a septic tank, demanding answers from the Mombasa County Government regarding building approvals and structural safety.
“This is not just a tragic accident—it’s a failure of oversight,” said one local resident. “We need to know how such a building was allowed to operate.”
As of Monday morning, rescue operations were still ongoing, with officials yet to confirm how many people may still be trapped beneath the rubble. The county government and local authorities have not yet issued a full update on the number of casualties or survivors.
This devastating incident has not only robbed families of their loved ones but also reignited the urgent call for better enforcement of construction regulations, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
