Fijivillage
20 February, 2026, 4:50 am
Central - 23°C Clouds
20 February, 2026, 4:50 am Central - 23°C Clouds

Tanzania building collapse kills 13 people, race to save those trapped

Tanzania building collapse kills 13 people, race to save those trapped

By abc.net.au
18/11/2024
The collapse of a four-storey building in Dar es Salaam has killed at least 13 people. (AFP: Gidulaus Amosi )

Tanzanian rescue workers are continuing to search for trapped survivors in a collapsed building which killed 13 people.

The four-storey block came down at around 9am local time on Saturday in the east African country's busy Kariakoo market, in the centre of the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The presidency said 13 people have been confirmed dead, up from an initial figure of five.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan said in a video at least 84 people had been rescued from the rubble.

Dar es Salaam regional commissioner Albert Chalamila said more people were still trapped in the basement floor of the shattered building, without specifying how many.

"We are communicating… and already we have supplied them with oxygen and water," he said.

"They are stable and we believe they will be rescued alive and safe."

Fire brigade chief John Masunga said the search and rescue operations had been hampered by the many walls making up the structure of the building.

It is not clear why the commercial building collapsed but witnesses told local media that construction to expand its underground business space had started on Friday.

President Hassan said the immediate focus was on the rescue efforts, and a "thorough" audit on the condition of all buildings in Kariakoo would follow.

"The police should also get all the details about the collapsed building from the owner and know what was exactly happening," she said.

In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, hundreds of first responders used sledgehammers or their bare hands to search the rubble for hours before cranes were brought in.

The incident has renewed criticism over unregulated construction in the Indian Ocean city of more than five million people.

Dar es Salaam has been the scene of a frenetic property boom as one of the world's fastest growing cities, with buildings shooting up quickly often with minimal regard of regulations.

In 2013, a 16-storey building collapsed in the city and killed 34 people.

FEATURE NEWS
EXCLUSIVE : I go to the FICAC office after hours to support my wife - Vakalalabure
Tevita Vakalalabure, lawyer and husband of Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavi Rokoika, has today confirmed that he goes to his wife's FICAC office when s...
12 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Fiji Airways says sexual harassment clause in Employment Bill sets ‘impossible legal standard'
Fiji Airways has warned that the Employment Relations Bill’s requirement for employers to eliminate sexual harassment imposes an unrealistic and ...
12 hours ago

5 out of 7 people charged in Rewa Street and Flagstaff drug bust case plead not guilty
The Chinese, Federated States of Micronesia, and Fijian nationals charged in three separate Rewa Street and Flagstaff drug bust cases took their ...
13 hours ago

Semo bypass to open from midnight tonight
The bypass along the Queen's Highway at Semo Village will be open to the travelling public from midnight tonight.The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) says ...
14 hours ago

$2.5B Emerald Bay Project advances with 184 residential lots
The $2.5 billion Emerald Bay Development in Nadawa is progressing well with the development of 184 residential lots as part of its first phase, ...
14 hours ago

Lautoka Central Head Boy advocating for drug-free and responsible living
Lautoka Central College Head Boy, Deevansh Singh is urging students to stay away from drugs and take greater responsibility in protecting the ...
14 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Minister ready to repay business class air fare for wife as concerns grow about Sports Council deals
I was invited to travel to New Zealand by the Fiji Sports Council for a grassroots 7s tournament in 2024, I travelled business class but it was ...
14 days ago

Malimali and others filed for judicial review into COI
The application for leave for the judicial review has been made by former FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali, former Attorney General Graham Leung ...
14 days ago

Malimali’s legal battle against President, PM and AG
Another legal battle starts today as sacked FICAC Commissioner, Barbara Malimali takes her matter to court against the President, Prime Minister and ...
15 days ago

TOP