A storied building still under construction in Masaka City has collapsed killing one person and injuring another critically. The deceased has only been by his nickname as Mukiga who was buried alive by the falling rubble, while the injured is Kenneth Mudo-27 years, who was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
The affected building is near Nakayiba wetland, along the main road connecting Nyendo to Masaka town, in Nyendo-Mukungwe division, Masaka City. According to eyewitnesses, one of the foundation pillars collapsed on Friday evening leading to the collapse of the building, which trapped the workers who were laying concrete on the ground floor to raise the walls.
Emmanuel Ssegirinya, one of the eyewitnesses, says the foundation pillars collapsed while being compressed by the heaps of soil that were dumped on the edges of the construction site.
The site was initially a steep slope that was ascending towards Nakayiba wetland but was recently excavated and filled with soil to level the ground for construction. Ssegirinya indicates that part of the soil suddenly disintegrated leading to the collapse of the building.
Joseph Ntale, a resident living near the site, says that the building was being built on a weaker foundation, owing to the fact that part of it was put in a seasonal wetland. He says that the affected building belongs to a local businessman, Moses Njawuzi.
Police from Masaka Central Police Station sealed off the construction site before excavating the rubble to recover the body and rush the injured to the hospital.
