Rescue Crews Dig Through Rubble After Building Collapses in Nairobi

Rescue workers cleared debris and searched for seven missing people on Saturday after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, leaving two injured survivors hospitalized.

The structure collapsed at about 1 p.m. on Friday along a busy commercial street in the Eastleigh area, sending a massive plume of dust into the surrounding neighborhood.

Dozens of workers were on the upper floors when the building caved in, but 66 of the 67 construction workers escaped uninjured, according to government officials.

Eleven shops operating on the ground floor and basement raised concerns that traders, customers and other occupants were caught in the wreckage.

Building collapses occur with some frequency in Kenya's capital due to poor construction practices, weak regulatory enforcement and improper planning.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said rescue operations were continuing as emergency teams worked to reach the lower levels of the pancake-stacked concrete.

"Seven people have been reported missing," said Kipchumba Murkomen, the interior cabinet secretary. "The rescue team has made contact with some of them, and efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in the rubble."

Nairobi regional police commander Issa Mohamud said rescue teams remained focused on clearing the rubble and reaching the basement and ground floors.

Police launched a manhunt for the building owner and the contractor responsible for the site, warning that negligent parties would face criminal accountability.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said City Hall approved a change of use for the property from residential to commercial on October 17, 2024.

Sakaja said architectural plans submitted subsequently were never approved by the county and the structure lacked a valid certificate of occupation.

"The professionals whose details were used in the development process have a responsibility to ensure that construction complies with approved plans, building regulations and safety standards," said Johnson Sakaja, the Nairobi governor.

Reports from local media and officials varied on the exact height of the block, with some accounts describing it as a 16-storey building and others noting more than 10 upper floors under construction.

Families of missing individuals were urged to contact the Kenya Red Cross through an emergency response number to help establish their whereabouts.