NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 2 — A 16-storey building under construction collapsed overnight at the Shopping Centre area of South C in Nairobi, prompting an emergency response by the Kenya Red Cross and other agencies.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that a multi-agency response team was deployed to the scene early Friday to manage the situation and assess the extent of the damage.
“Early this morning, a building under construction collapsed in the Shopping Centre area of South C, Nairobi County,” the Kenya Red Cross said.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately known, and casualties had not been confirmed at the time of publication as search-and-rescue operations continued.
Authorities have cordoned off the area to secure the site and prevent further risk to the public.
The incident has once again raised concerns over approval processes, construction safety standards, and enforcement of regulations governing high-rise developments in Nairobi, amid a spate of similar incidents in recent years.
In September 2023, a ten-storey residential building under construction collapsed along Mirema Drive in the Zimmerman area of Roysambu, damaging neighboring structures. No casualties were reported, though preliminary investigations suggested poor-quality structural concrete as a possible cause.
In October 2024, an eight-storey residential building in Kahawa West also collapsed. The structure had earlier been condemned for demolition, and tenants were being evacuated, limiting injuries to a minimum.
