Body of man retrieved after septic tank collapse in Mombasa bar

The body of a 54-year-old man was retrieved early Monday morning following the collapse of a structure built over a deep septic tank at the Happy Annex Bar in Bamburi Mwisho, Mombasa.

Authorities confirmed that the body, identified as Abdallah Aziz Abdallah, was pulled from the rubble around 00:49 hours, hours after the Sunday evening collapse in the Kadzandani area of Nyali Sub-County.

"We managed to recover the body of one Abdallah Aziz Abdallah, a 54-year-old male, at around 00:49 hours. His body was positively identified at the scene by his relative, Seif Aziz Abdallah," said Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor.

The incident occurred when an illegally constructed structure gave way while the entertainment facility was still operating.

The septic tank, located beneath the building, is said to be approximately 120 feet deep.

Police reports indicated that the victim’s left leg had been severed, likely from falling debris.

His body and the severed limb were transported to the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nyali has taken up the case, which remains under investigation.

Authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse and whether any parties should be held responsible.

As search operations continued at the scene, the Mombasa County Government confirmed that two more individuals are still missing and are feared to be trapped beneath the debris.

In a press statement issued Monday, county officials said efforts to find the missing individuals were ongoing and called for patience as teams combed through the collapsed site.

At the scene, family members of the deceased struggled to come to terms with the loss.

His sister, Mwanahamisi Aziz, said she was at home in Utange when she received the shocking news.

"I stay in Utange. Someone came by and said there is some bad news. The person, who is also my friend, told me a septic tank had collapsed and among the people trapped was my brother," she said.

Mwanahamisi said her brother worked as a matatu conductor in Bamburi and leaves behind a wife and one child.

The collapse has raised serious concerns about construction standards and safety oversight in informal and densely populated areas of Mombasa.

Local authorities are facing pressure to act against illegal developments that pose risks to the public.

Investigators and rescue workers remained on site Monday night as the search for the two missing persons entered a critical stage.

Updates from the county government and emergency teams are expected as the operation progresses.