Nairobi: Rescue operation under way after Eastleigh high-rise collapse

NAIROBI — A multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh on Friday afternoon, triggering a large search-and-rescue operation in one of the Kenyan capital’s busiest commercial districts.

Watch the video: Watch our TikTok report, narrated by Dayo.

The collapse occurred on 9th Street, near Yusuf Haji Avenue, at around 1:40 p.m., according to the Kenya Red Cross. The exact height of the structure has been reported differently by authorities and news organisations, so GH.today is describing it as a high-rise pending a definitive official account.

One person rescued; full toll still unknown

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said one injured person had been pulled from the rubble and taken to hospital. Rescue teams continued searching for others feared trapped, but authorities had not released a confirmed count of the missing, injured or dead at the time of publication.

Residents told reporters that some people inside the debris had initially been able to communicate with rescuers or relatives. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said crews were removing concrete carefully to create access and allow air into possible survival spaces.

The response brought together the Kenya Defence Forces, Nairobi City County emergency teams, the National Disaster Operations Centre, police, the Kenya Red Cross and health workers. Excavators, breakers and sniffer dogs were deployed as the operation continued.

Officials asked the public to keep away from the immediate area so ambulances and heavy equipment could reach the site. Families unable to contact relatives who may have been in the building were directed to report their names at the Red Cross and county tent established nearby.

Ground floor was occupied

The building was still under construction, but businesses were operating on the ground floor. Sakaja said the project had construction approval but did not have an occupation certificate, meaning the lower-floor premises should not have been open to the public.

Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud warned that part of the collapsed structure was leaning against a neighbouring building, creating a risk of a secondary collapse. The cause of the failure has not been established.

Police said an investigation would examine possible negligence and that anyone found responsible would face legal action. It remains unclear whether the building followed its approved structural plans and whether qualified professionals were supervising work at the time of the collapse.

What remains unconfirmed

No official final casualty figure has been released. Claims circulating on social media about the number of people inside the building have not been independently verified. GH.today will update this report when police, Nairobi County or the Kenya Red Cross publish confirmed figures.

Sources

Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/kenya-building-collapse-a7dcc0932437d79d52ea29aa860ec11e

The Star Kenya — police and rescue update: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-10-23-kanja-one-rescued-from-eastleigh-building-rubble

The Star Kenya — multi-agency response: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2026-10-23-kdf-sniffer-dogs-join-race-to-reach-trapped-people-in-eastleigh

Reuters report republished by MarketScreener: https://www.marketscreener.com/news/building-collapses-in-kenyan-capital-rescuers-on-the-scene-ce785cdfdb8dfe21

Image credit: Eastleigh, Nairobi — archive and illustrative photograph by One Africa, via Wikimedia Commons, 24 May 2025, licensed CC BY 3.0. The image does not depict the 23 October 2026 collapse.