NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 2 — A multi-agency emergency team has widened the security cordon around a collapsed 16-storey building in Nairobi’s South C area amid concerns over the structural integrity of a neighbouring high-rise, as evacuation and rescue operations continue.
The overnight collapse destabilised an adjacent 14-storey building, raising fears of a secondary collapse and prompting authorities to evacuate surrounding areas as a precautionary measure.
National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) Operational Officer William Sifuna said the evacuation was aimed at preventing further casualties should the affected neighbouring structure give way.
“We are suspecting that there are about four lives trapped under the debris,” Sifuna told reporters at the scene.
“The collapsed building has affected the adjacent 14-storey structure because some of its pillars were knocked,” he added.
Sifuna said no casualties had been retrieved so far following the overnight incident, but noted that rescue teams were working around the clock to search for and rescue, or retrieve, the suspected individuals trapped beneath the rubble.
Risk assessment
Emergency responders at the scene include the National Disaster Management Unit, Nairobi City County officials, the National Police Service and the Kenya Red Cross.
In a statement, the Kenya Red Cross said the area remains cordoned off as teams continue to comb through the debris while assessing the stability of surrounding buildings.
Authorities have urged residents and members of the public to stay away from the scene as structural engineers conduct assessments on nearby buildings to determine further risks.
The collapse has once again placed Nairobi’s construction safety standards under scrutiny, particularly concerns surrounding approval processes, supervision and enforcement of regulations governing high-rise developments.
In September 2023, a 10-storey residential building under construction collapsed along Mirema Drive in the Zimmerman area of Roysambu, damaging nearby structures. No casualties were reported, although preliminary investigations cited poor-quality structural concrete as a possible cause.
More recently, in October 2024, an eight-storey residential building in Kahawa West collapsed after it had been condemned for demolition. Tenants were in the process of being evacuated at the time, a move that helped minimise injuries.
