NAIROBI—Seven children were killed and at least 57 injured on Monday when a classroom collapsed in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, officials said.
Students were in their classroom at the Precious Talent Academy when the collapse occurred Monday morning, Kenya Red Cross said on Twitter.
Classroom with pupils inside collapses at a school along Ngong road, Nairobi.
Red Cross and @EMS_Kenya response teams are at the scene. Details to follow.
— Kenya Red Cross (@KenyaRedCross) September 23, 2019
Television stations showed images of rescue workers sifting through metal sheeting and slabs of concrete at the school, carrying white body bags to an ambulance.
Emergency responders are still searching to determine if there are more children trapped underneath the rubble.
“There have been 57 students that have been taken to hospital for treatment, and we can also confirm that there have been seven fatalities,” said government spokesman Cyrus Oguna.
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) later said on Twitter 64 students had been sent to the hospital.
We have received 64 pupils from Precious Talent School with various soft tissue injuries being attended to at the Accident & Emergency
— KNH (@KNH_hospital) September 23, 2019
The KNH updated on Twitter that the “medical team led by the Ag. CEO Dr. Evanson Kamuri has managed to contain the situation and the children are stable as they receive treatment.”
Our medical team led by the Ag. CEO Dr. Evanson Kamuri has managed to contain the situation and the children are stable as they receive treatment.
— KNH (@KNH_hospital) September 23, 2019
The first floor of the building collapsed, trapping the children below, local lawmaker John Kiarie told NTV Kenya.
The cause was not immediately known, but authorities have previously warned 30-40,000 buildings erected without approval in Nairobi are at risk of collapse.
Kenya Red Cross said it has set up a station at the school to assist parents and guardians seeking information about the whereabouts of their children.
Three years ago a six-storey residential block collapsed in Nairobi, killing 51 people following heavy rains.
NTD News staff and The CNN Wire contributed to this report.