Several people are feared trapped after a building under construction collapsed along 9th Street in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area on Friday, October 23.
The Friday afternoon incident has brought business to a standstill along the busy street as residents, traders and passersby gather near the scene.
There are fears that people may have been inside the building when it collapsed, with efforts to establish whether anyone is trapped ongoing.
At the same time, the number of people trapped, casualties and injuries had not been confirmed by the time of publication as details of the incident continued to emerge.
According to eyewitnesses and reports, the building was still under construction and had reached its 18th floor.
Meanwhile, the incident has caused a major traffic snarl-up on roads leading into and out of Eastlands commercial hub, with motorists urged to exercise caution when approaching the area.
Images and videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke showed residents gathering along 9th Street to catch a glimpse of the scene.
The Nairobi County Government (NCCG), the National Police Service (NPS), the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) and the National Construction Authority (NCA) are yet to issue statements on the incident or clarify whether the building had received the necessary approvals and complied with construction regulations.