Tragedy in Mombasa: Football Fans Feared Dead After Septic Tank Collapse
A devastating incident has rocked Bamburi Mwisho in Kadzandani Ward, Nyali sub-county, after an old septic tank collapsed beneath a video café on Sunday evening, with at least four football fans feared dead.
According to eyewitnesses, the victims had stayed behind in the small video café to watch an English Premier League match after electricity went off. Others had left earlier upon discovering that the café owner had not paid for this month’s subscription. The café, made from iron sheets, was reportedly constructed over a more than 40-year-old septic tank.
At around 5:30 PM, as the few remaining fans waited in darkness, the septic tank suddenly caved in, swallowing part of the structure and the individuals inside. Athman Salim, a local resident, described the terrifying moment. “I was in the house when I heard children screaming and running. Then, another commotion followed. When I went outside, I saw a huge hole in the ground in front of the door,” he said.
Two of the victims were seated at the front of the café, while two others were lying on benches in the middle section when the collapse occurred. The wall where the screen was mounted also gave way.
Emergency responders, including the Mombasa County fire rescue team, arrived at the scene about 30 minutes later. However, rescue efforts were hampered as the ground continued to give way, making it too dangerous to proceed immediately.
Mombasa County Commissioner Mohammed Noor confirmed that the structure had been erected on top of the old septic tank and said an assessment was underway to determine the best rescue strategy. “This video café is said to have been built on top of a septic tank which caved in,” he said.
In a further complication, a nearby water tank also sank into the ground due to the instability. The site’s inaccessibility to vehicles has made it difficult for emergency machinery to reach the area, with discussions underway about demolishing parts of surrounding structures to create a path.
Nuru Sadat, an aunt to one of the missing persons, expressed heartbreak. “He had just gone to watch football. I just hope the county is successful in finding his body.”
Local leaders, including Kadzandani MCA Fatma Kushe, visited the site and called for expedited efforts. “We condole with the families of those who lost their lives. We ask for cooperation so the bodies can be retrieved. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un,” she said.
As of 8:30 PM, the ground continued to collapse, drawing more concern and panic among nearby residents. Police struggled to keep the crowd at bay as the danger of further collapses loomed.
The county’s chief fire officer, Ibrahim Basafar, arrived later in the evening to coordinate with the disaster response team on the next steps.
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Tragedy in Mombasa: Football Fans Feared Dead After Septic Tank Collapse