NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24 – Seven people are missing following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction along 9th Street in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as rescue teams continue efforts to locate those feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the ground floor and basement of the building were occupied when the structure collapsed, raising concerns about the safety of people who may have been inside at the time of the incident.
Murkomen said all 67 construction workers at the site had been accounted for, with 66 escaping unharmed while one was rushed to hospital for treatment.
First responders have also reportedly established contact with six people trapped beneath the debris, raising hopes of a possible breakthrough as rescue operations continue.
The national government, Nairobi County Government and the Kenya Red Cross have mobilised teams to coordinate the emergency response, with efforts focused on reaching those trapped and establishing the whereabouts of the seven missing people.
Murkomen said emergency responders were continuing to search through the rubble as they sought to establish whether more people remained trapped inside the collapsed building.
The operation involves coordinated efforts by government agencies, county authorities and humanitarian responders, who are working to locate survivors and account for those reported missing.
The reported contact with six people beneath the debris has heightened the urgency of the operation, with rescuers seeking to reach them safely.
The building’s occupied ground floor and basement have also become a key focus of the rescue efforts as authorities seek to establish how many people were inside when the structure came down.
Murkomen confirmed that all 67 construction workers at the site had been accounted for following the collapse.
Of those, 66 escaped without injuries, while one was taken to hospital for treatment.
However, the reported seven missing people remain unaccounted for as emergency teams continue searching the site.
The rescue operation is expected to establish whether the missing individuals were inside the building or in areas affected by the collapse.
Murkomen said the national government, Nairobi County Government and the Kenya Red Cross were working together to coordinate the emergency response.
The teams are prioritising the rescue of people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble while continuing efforts to establish the full number of casualties.
Authorities are also expected to assess the circumstances surrounding the collapse, including the building’s construction status and the safety of the surrounding area.
The Interior CS said the immediate priority remained rescuing those trapped, accounting for the missing seven people and ensuring the safety of emergency responders.
The collapse of the multi-storey building along 9th Street has renewed concerns over construction safety in Nairobi, particularly in densely populated areas where buildings under construction may be located close to occupied premises.
The presence of people on the ground floor and basement when the structure collapsed has added urgency to the rescue operation.
Murkomen said authorities would establish the circumstances surrounding the incident as rescue operations continued.
The immediate priority, however, remains reaching those trapped, accounting for the missing seven people and ensuring the safety of emergency responders.
Rescue operations were ongoing as authorities worked to reach those beneath the rubble.