A number of people are feared trapped following the collapse of a building under construction along 9th Street in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area on Friday afternoon, October 23.
The incident disrupted business activities along the busy street as residents, traders and passersby gathered near the site to witness the unfolding situation.
The building, located along Yusuf Haji Avenue next to Day to Day Supermarket, was reportedly occupied on its lower floors even as construction work continued.
"A building has collapsed along Yusuf Haji Avenue, next to Day to Day Supermarket on 9th Street, Eastleigh. Kenya Red Cross response teams are en route to the scene," Kenya Red Cross confirmed.
Concerns emerged that construction workers or other individuals could have been inside the building when it came crashing down, with efforts underway to establish whether anyone was trapped beneath the debris.
As of publication, the number of people feared trapped, casualties and possible injuries remained unknown, as authorities had yet to confirm the full extent of the incident.
Eyewitness accounts and reports from the scene indicated that the building was still under construction and had reportedly reached the 18th floor before collapsing.
The incident also triggered significant traffic congestion on roads leading into and out of Eastleigh, one of Nairobi’s busiest commercial centres in the Eastlands area, disrupting transport and movement in the neighbourhood.
Images and videos seen by Vantage Ke showed crowds gathering along 9th Street as residents attempted to catch a glimpse of the collapsed structure and follow developments at the scene.
The large crowd that converged at the scene temporarily obstructed emergency responders, hindering rescue teams and emergency vehicles from accessing the building and coordinating operations.
Rescue efforts were also complicated by Friday prayers, an important weekly religious observance for Eastleigh’s predominantly Muslim community.
Amateur videos seen by Vantage Ke further showed residents broadcasting live on social media, appealing to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to deploy emergency response teams to the scene.
Meanwhile, the Nairobi County Government (NCCG), National Police Service (NPS), National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) and National Construction Authority (NCA) had not issued official statements regarding the incident by the time of publication.
The agencies were also yet to clarify whether the building had secured the necessary construction approvals and complied with the relevant building standards and safety regulations.
