Baby girl rescued from collapsed building in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya — A nearly 6-month-old girl was rescued Tuesday from the rubble of a building that collapsed last week, raising hopes for more survivors in the disaster that has left 23 people dead and 93 others missing.

Furniture had created pockets preventing the columns from falling on her and allowing air to flow into the rubble, he said.

“It appears this baby was pretty well-nourished if it was able to survive for four days,” said Dr. Peter Sullivan, an associate professor of pediatrics at Oxford University.

The two owners of the collapsed building and 21 officials from the county government were taken into custody after the collapse, and police have asked a court to be able to hold them for three weeks while an investigation against them proceeds.

With housing in high demand in Nairobi, some unscrupulous developers bypass regulations to cut costs and maximize profits.

After eight buildings collapsed and killed 15 people, President Uhuru Kenyatta last year ordered an audit of all the country’s buildings to see if they are up to code.