Industry News

Construction Worker Dies in Tragic Elevator Accident

Worker fell to death while installing elevator in Mombasa skyscraper.

Updated on

March 16, 2024

Technician repairs an elevator — A worker repairs an elevator. PHOTO: Adobe Stock

A man fell to his death while installing a new elevator in an under-construction building in Mombasa on Monday, sparking outrage over rising on-site fatalities.

The middle-aged man, who was working on the 18-storey building opposite Sauti House, died on the spot, while his colleague jumped from the lift and escaped.

The body, which was found facing down in the elevator shaft, was retrieved by police and the Mombasa County Fire Department an hour after the incident.

“The victim was removed from the lift without any safety gadgets,” said Dan Manyalla, the County Executive Committee Member for Roads and Infrastructure.

“We will look at the legality of the building to see if it has approvals from the county. We will make sure that a thorough investigation is done, and if they are culpable, people will be brought to book,” he added.

Although it is still unclear how and why the accident occurred, human rights officials believe the accident could have been entirely prevented, pointing to the possibility of negligence playing a significant role in the tragic event.

“A worker has lost his life because of non-compliance with safety measures. I am appalled that someone has lost his life due to negligence,” said Francis Auma, the Rapid Response Officer from Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI).

He added that the Monday fatality marked the third death occurring in skyscrapers under construction in various parts of Mombasa in two years.

The incident was akin to the August 2021 crane accident in Nairobi’s Hurlingham area, where nine construction workers died after a tower crane collapsed.

The victims, including two Chinese men, were among ten workers who were dismantling the crane after finishing exterior painting works when it suddenly collapsed.

Two years later, on December 2, 2023, four people died and several others were injured after falling from the 15th floor of a building under construction in Pangani, Nairobi.

The scaffolding on the building that was underway on Mukunga Street suddenly fell while several workers were on it, and investigations found that poor maintenance of the scaffolding led to the deadly incident.