NAIROBI, Kenya — Several people are feared trapped following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood on Friday afternoon, October 23, 2026, triggering an emergency response and renewed concerns over construction safety in the capital.
The building, located along Yusuf Haji Avenue near Day to Day Supermarket, reportedly collapsed at around 1 p.m., reducing the structure to a heap of concrete and debris.
Emergency response teams, including personnel from the Kenya Red Cross and police, were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation and conduct search-and-rescue operations.
According to reports from the scene, the building had more than 10 floors under construction, although accounts differed on its exact height.
Nairobi County officials said there were reports that people could be trapped beneath the rubble, prompting an urgent response to establish whether construction workers, traders or members of the public had been caught in the collapse.
The ground floor of the building was reportedly occupied by businesses despite construction work continuing on the upper floors, raising further concerns about the safety of people operating within the premises.
Police and other emergency personnel moved to secure the area and facilitate rescue efforts as residents, traders and curious onlookers gathered near the site. The growing crowds and disruption to traffic also complicated access to the affected area.
The cause of the collapse had not been established by the time of publication. Authorities were yet to confirm the total number of people trapped, injured or otherwise affected as rescue operations continued.
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY UNDER SCRUTINY
The incident has renewed questions about compliance with building regulations, the supervision of construction projects and the enforcement of safety standards in Nairobi.
The collapse comes amid continuing concerns over building safety in the capital, where rapid urban development has increased pressure on housing, commercial space and infrastructure.
Questions are likely to arise over whether the building complied with approved construction plans, whether the required inspections were conducted and whether appropriate safety measures were in place while construction continued.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja visited the scene as emergency teams worked to assess the situation. County officials indicated that further information would be provided as rescue operations progressed.
Authorities are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether any breaches of construction regulations contributed to the incident.
For now, the priority remains the search for anyone who may be trapped beneath the debris, while emergency responders work to secure the area and prevent further danger.
The number of casualties and the exact cause of the collapse remained unconfirmed at the time of writing.
