Nairobi building collapse: Four rescued as search for missing continues

Rescue operations in Nairobi’s Eastleigh district have entered their fourth day following the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction on Friday, October 23. As of Sunday, four survivors have been pulled from the rubble, including tailor Victor Onyango and shop owner Zaynaba Mohammed, both of whom were treated and discharged from the hospital.

The building, reported to be between 16 and 18 storeys, collapsed along a busy commercial street. While most of the 67 construction workers on-site escaped unharmed, several people are believed to be trapped in the ground and basement floors, which housed shops that were reportedly operating without occupation certificates.

While the Interior Minister initially reported seven people missing, the Kenya Red Cross stated that missing persons reports have risen to 47. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja noted that while a change-of-use application had been approved in 2024, the specific architectural plans for the current construction had not. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse and the legality of the building's occupation.