A number of people remain missing, while others are feared trapped after a multistorey building under construction collapsed in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, leaving a massive pile of concrete as rescue teams search through the debris. The building collapsed at around 1pm local time (10:00 GMT) on Friday along a busy commercial street in Eastleigh, a densely populated neighbourhood home to thousands of traders and residents.
Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud said more than 10 upper floors were being constructed at the time of the incident. Kenya’s Interior Minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, said 67 workers were at the site. One sustained injuries, while the remaining 66 escaped without harm. According to the Associated Press, the building’s basement and ground floor were occupied by an electronics store, a butcher shop and a grocery store. Around 11 people were reportedly inside these businesses and remained unaccounted for. He added that rescue teams involving national and county government agencies, along with the Red Cross, had established contact with some people believed to be trapped inside the building.
Reporting from Nairobi, Al Jazeera correspondent Catherine Soi said developers and authorities were facing calls to explain why people had been allowed inside a building that was still under construction. Rescue operations were expected to continue throughout Friday night and into Saturday. Emergency workers used tree trunks and excavators to shift heavy concrete reinforced with steel, while the arrival of heavy machinery was delayed. The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that two injured people had been rescued and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, according to local news outlet The Eastleigh Voice. Mohamud also warned that the neighbouring building could be at risk because the collapsed structure was leaning against it.
Local media reported that looting occurred shortly after the collapse, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse crowds. Joseph Kaula, a plasterer who had been working on the fifth floor, told the Associated Press that he was the last person to leave the building before it collapsed. He described the surrounding area as being engulfed in dust.
Relatives of those believed to be trapped said some victims had called for help immediately after the incident, but their phones later became unreachable. A tent was established at the scene to help families report missing relatives.
“Our concern is to save lives,” Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja told reporters.
Sakaja explained that although the building had received construction approval, it had not been issued an occupation certificate. As a result, operating shops on the ground floor was illegal. He warned that the decision to allow businesses to operate in the building may have had fatal consequences. At the time, he said, it was possible that one or two people had died, although the full extent of the casualties remained unclear.
Police said they had launched a search for the building’s owner. The National Construction Authority registered the project on July 30, 2025, The Eastleigh Voice reported. However, it was not immediately clear whether the structure had undergone an inspection before collapsing.
The incident has renewed concerns about building safety in Kenya. According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, the country’s National Building Inspectorate found last year that 87 percent of the buildings it audited nationwide either failed to meet required standards or lacked the necessary approvals.
Sakaja called for county governments to be given stronger enforcement powers, arguing that existing penalties for construction violations were too lenient. Police said investigations would be conducted and anyone found responsible for negligence would face legal action.
