Several people are feared trapped after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed along 9th Street in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The building came down at around 1pm, raising concerns about the safety of construction workers and members of the public who may have been inside or near the structure.
The collapse occurred in a busy commercial area where traders, residents and pedestrians were going about their daily activities. The incident brought business to a standstill as people gathered near the scene to establish what had happened.
The exact number of people who may have been inside the building at the time of the collapse had not been confirmed by the time of publication.
Rescue teams respond to the scene
Police officers, emergency responders and Kenya Red Cross teams were deployed to the scene to support search and rescue efforts.
The Kenya Red Cross said its teams were working with other agencies to search for people who might be trapped beneath the rubble. The organisation also urged members of the public to keep away from the site to allow emergency personnel to work safely.
Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamed said officers were waiting for more information about the incident as rescue teams worked to respond.
Reports differed on the building’s height. While some accounts described it as an 18-storey structure, Reuters reported that it was a 12-storey building under construction.
The building’s ground floor was occupied, according to information shared by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s office, raising concerns that people may have been inside when the structure collapsed.
The number of people trapped, injured or killed had not been officially established in the initial reports.
Police disperse crowds near the collapsed building
Police officers used tear gas to disperse crowds that had gathered near the scene as emergency teams sought access to the site.
Authorities said the crowds had blocked roads, making it difficult for emergency service providers to reach the affected area.
The large number of people at the scene also raised concerns about the safety of those standing close to the damaged structure as rescue operations continued.
Governor Johnson Sakaja later arrived at the scene as emergency teams worked to assess the situation.
The cause of the collapse had not been established by the time of publication. Authorities had also not released a confirmed account of the number of people who were inside the building or the circumstances leading to its collapse.
Rescue efforts were continuing as emergency teams worked to establish whether anyone remained trapped beneath the debris.
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