Four football fans have died after a septic tank accident in Mombasa.
The four are said to have remained in a video café as others left when the electricity went off.
The video café, made of iron sheets, is said to have been built on top of a more than 40-year-old septic tank.
About four people are feared dead after an old septic tank caved in as they waited to watch an English Premier League match in the Bamburi Mwisho area of Kadzandani ward in Nyali sub-county on Sunday.
The four are said to have remained in the video café as others left when the electricity went off.
The video café, made of iron sheets, is said to have been built on top of a more than 40-year-old septic tank.
Witnesses said the video café was full as people waited for the start of the match at 4 pm.
However, they left as soon as they realised the owner of the video café was yet to pay for this month’s subscription.
Later, the electricity went off as the fans waited for the owner to pay for the subscription.
About four stayed behind.
At about 5.30 pm, the septic tank gave way.
“I was in the house when I heard a loud commotion, and children who were playing outside came into the house running. Then I heard another round of commotion,” said Athman Salim, an eyewitness.
Mombasa county commissioner Mohammed Noor (in green) at the scene / BRIAN OTIENO
Salim said when he peeped outside the door, he saw a gaping hole on the ground right in front of the door.
Inside the video café, the wall where the screen had been mounted caved in.
Two of the suspected victims are said to have been sitting in the front row.
Two others were lying on one of the benches in the middle.
The Mombasa County Fire Rescue team arrived about 30 minutes later.
However, rescue efforts proved futile as the gaping hole kept on widening as more floor sank in.
Mombasa County Commissioner Mohammed Noor said an assessment is being done to determine the operation to be conducted.
“This video café is said to have been built on top of a septic tank, which caved in,” Noor said.
A water tank that was placed right outside the video café also sank in.
Nuru Sadat, an aunt to one of the missing persons, said he had gone to watch football when the floor caved in.
“I just hope the county is successful in finding his body,” Sadat said.
Kadzandani MCA Fatma Kushe asked the county to speed up efforts to retrieve the bodies.
“We condole with the families of those who lost their lives.”
“We ask for cooperation so the bodies can be retrieved. Inna lillahi wainna illaihi rajiun,” she said.
At about 8.30 pm, more of the surface of the floor caved in as residents milled around the scene.
Police had a hard time keeping residents at bay.
By the time of going to press, the county chief fire officer, Ibrahim Basafa, had arrived at the scene and was in discussions on the next course of action.
The area of the incident is inaccessible to any vehicle.
