Shauri Moyo building collapse: City Hall condoles with families as rescue mission ends

Rescue efforts at the scene of the collapsed building in Shauri Moyo on March 16, 2026./HANDOUT

Nairobi City County Government has conveyed its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the four people who lost their lives following the building collapse at Blue Estate in Shauri Moyo.

Authorities said search and rescue operations at the scene in Kamukunji Sub-County have now been successfully concluded.

“Search and rescue operations at the scene in Kamukunji Sub-County have now been successfully concluded and response teams have been demobilized,” the county said.

The collapsed structure was among buildings located along the Nairobi River riparian corridor that had been earmarked for removal under the ongoing Nairobi River Regeneration Programme.

According to the county government, four male victims were rescued alive from the debris during the operation.

“Two were transported to Kenyatta National Hospital for further medical attention, while two received first aid at the scene,” the statement said.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja./HANDOUT

However, four unidentified male bodies were also retrieved from the rubble and handed over to police officers at the site.

The multi-agency rescue effort involved the Nairobi City County Urban Search and Rescue team and firefighters, alongside officers from the National Disaster Management Unit, the Disaster Response Battalion of the Kenya Defence Forces and the Kenya Red Cross.

Officials said the scene has since been formally handed over to the Kamukunji Assistant County Commissioner.

Authorities have also cordoned off the area as a precaution due to structural safety concerns, noting that an adjacent building is showing signs of a possible collapse.

Preliminary reports indicate that the individuals were salvaging steel bars and other construction materials from the abandoned structure when it collapsed.

Nairobi City County, through the Department of Urban Development and Planning, has urged residents living along riparian zones and riverbanks to take immediate safety precautions.

“Nairobi City County continues to caution residents living along riparian areas and riverbanks to take immediate safety precautions and voluntarily relocate from these high-risk zones,” the statement said.