- A building under construction collapsed along Yusuf Haji Avenue in Eastleigh on Friday, October 23, triggering an emergency response
- Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident and urged the public to stay clear as rescue teams rushed to the scene
- Crowds obstructed ambulances and looting was reported, prompting police to fire tear gas to clear the area
A multi-storey building under construction came down in Nairobi's Eastleigh on Friday, October 23, at approximately 1pm, prompting a major rescue operation amid fears that people were trapped beneath the debris.
The structure stood along Yusuf Haji Avenue, adjacent to Day to Day Supermarket on 9th Street.
Kenya Red Cross confirmed the collapse in a statement sent on X, saying its response teams were en route to the site and urging the public to stay away.
"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. We urge the public to keep clear of the area to allow emergency teams to work safely," the statement read.
Photos circulating from the scene show thick clouds of dust rising over the street and the remains of the structure reduced to stacked, pancaked concrete slabs, with rescuers in high-visibility vests assembled at the base of the collapse.
Casualties and Scale of Collapse
No figures on fatalities, injuries, or missing persons had been released by authorities as of the time of this report.
The building is understood to have had shops and rental units operating on its lower floors while construction continued above, meaning traders, customers, and construction workers may have been inside at the time.
The area is typically busy on Friday afternoons, raising concerns that pedestrians could also have been caught in the collapse.
The exact height of the building remained disputed. Nairobi police commander Issa Mohamed said, "The house was about 10 floors but we are waiting for more."
Other accounts, including those from eyewitnesses cited by various outlets, put the figure at 13 or 18 floors. No official confirmation has been given.
Rescue Operation and Chaos at the Scene
Police and the Nairobi County fire brigade took charge of rescue efforts, with Nairobi City County emergency teams also deployed.
Mohamed confirmed that more officers had been sent to coordinate the response, adding, "Emergency crews are on site as efforts continue to search for survivors."
The early response was complicated by dense crowds along 9th Street, which temporarily blocked incoming emergency vehicles. The collapse coincided with Friday congregational prayers in the predominantly Muslim neighbourhood, contributing to the congestion.
Witnesses reported that looting broke out near the site and that ambulances were pelted with stones, forcing them to reroute before reaching the scene. Police used tear gas to disperse onlookers and, according to Mohamed, to prevent theft from nearby shops.
Most businesses in the area shut down and traffic into and out of Eastleigh, a key commercial hub in Nairobi's Eastlands, ground to a halt.
The cause of the collapse remains unknown. The Nairobi City County Government, the National Construction Authority, and the National Disaster Management Unit had not commented on the building's regulatory status or structural approvals. The story is developing.
Source: TUKO.co.ke