At least one person was injured after a 16-storey building under construction collapsed along Muhoho Avenue in South C, Nairobi, in the early hours of January 2, sparking fears that there may be fatalities.
Police said the building was still under construction at the time of the incident, and although there were no workers on site, security guards who were on duty had not been located. Efforts to account for them were ongoing as rescue operations continued.
Nairobi Police Commander George Seda confirmed that multi-agency teams had been deployed to the scene to search for possible casualties and assist anyone trapped under the rubble.
“One man, believed to have been a pedestrian, was rescued and rushed to hospital. He was walking nearby when the building collapsed. We suspect there may be other people trapped inside,” Seda said.
The collapsed structure stood adjacent to other buildings that are also under construction, raising safety concerns as rescue teams worked carefully to avoid further incidents.
The cause of the building collapse has not yet been established, with authorities saying investigations are ongoing.
The incident adds to a long list of building collapses in Nairobi, many of which have occurred during construction and resulted in deaths and injuries. Past cases have drawn criticism over weak enforcement of building regulations, with complaints that some developers were allowed to rebuild without facing accountability.
A security guard in the area told police that he heard a loud bang followed by a cloud of dust, only to realise that the building had collapsed. He and other members of the public rushed to the scene and helped rescue the injured man before emergency responders arrived.
The latest collapse has once again brought into focus concerns over compliance with building codes in Nairobi. Residents have repeatedly raised alarm over the rapid growth of unregulated structures, with several cases ending up in court as authorities struggle to rein in unsafe developments.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing at the time of publication, with officials expected to issue further updates as more information becomes available.
