Fijivillage
NEWS SPORTS IN DEPTH
12 March, 2026, 8:54 am
Central - 29°C Rain
12 March, 2026, 8:54 am Central - 29°C Rain

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
PM appeals Malimali ruling and wants Rokoika to stay as Acting FICAC Commissioner
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka has decided to appeal High Court Judge, Justice Dane Tuiqereqere's ruling that the dismissal of Barbara Malimali as FI...
15 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Naupoto assures passport stock
Minister for Immigration Viliame Naupoto has assured people that there is sufficient stock of passports available as the Ministry received a new ...
41 minutes ago

Singh says current government should not be blamed for rising cost of living
Minister for Public Enterprises and Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Culture, Heritage and Arts Charan Jeath Singh says the current government should not be ...
41 minutes ago

From backyard garden to airline supply for Nadi herb farmer
Memories of gardening with her grandmother and the quiet pause brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic inspired farmer Elizabeth Grace to trade a career ...
45 minutes ago

Ruling on release of COI transcripts today
High Court Judge, Justice Dane Tuiqereqere will decide today on whether the Office of the Attorney General will release the full transcripts of the ...
54 minutes ago

Judge warns the State over possible perjury with their witness in Health Tender trial
Suva High Court Judge Justice Usaia Ratuvili has reminded the State in the Health Tender trial of Voreqe Bainimarama, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Dr Neil ...
15 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Fiji Sports Council Saga: 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 ...
6 days ago

National Talanoa Session on Illicit Drugs in Fiji: 2,400 drug-related cases recorded in 2025
The illicit drug situation in Fiji has been described as a national emergency, with 2,400 drug-related cases recorded in 2025. Minister for Policing ...
13 days ago

Charlie Charters held at Nadi Airport because of a FICAC flag on his file
Fijian national, Charlie Charters is being held at immigration at Nadi International Airport because of a FICAC flag on his file.fijivillage News has ...
13 days ago

TOP