Kibera: 3 killed as building under construction collapses

At least three people were killed on Wednesday, and six others rescued after a building under construction collapsed in the Highrise area of Kibera, Nairobi County.

Police confirmed that the building was under construction at the time of the incident.

Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said those rescued were admitted to the hospital and confirmed that investigations into the incident were underway.

“We lost three people in the tragedy. The injured were admitted in hospitals,” said Mohamud.

Response teams said three bodies had been recovered, while four individuals were rescued and rushed to Mbagathi Hospital for medical attention.

However, the Kenya Red Cross said six individuals were rescued and taken to Mbagathi Hospital.

“The collapsed building was under construction. Six individuals have been rescued and taken to Mbagathi Hospital. Response teams remain on site,” said the Kenya Red Cross.

The incident adds to a series of building collapses reported in Nairobi in recent weeks.

On March 16, a building collapsed in the Blue Estate area of Shauri Moyo in Nairobi. According to the Kenya Red Cross, the structure gave way adjacent to buildings that were being demolished on riparian land, and emergency response teams were dispatched to the scene.

On January 11, two workers died when a building under construction collapsed in Karen, while seven others were rescued and taken to hospital with multiple injuries. Officials said the building, which had reached the first floor, collapsed while masons were laying a slab, and authorities attributed the incident to structural failure linked to poor workmanship and inadequate formwork.

On January 2, a 14-storey building reportedly suffered a “pancake collapse” in South C, Lang’ata Sub-county, leaving at least two people feared trapped. Emergency response teams, including Nairobi City County, the National Youth Service, the Kenya Defence Forces Disaster Response Battalion, and the Nairobi Fire Brigade, were deployed to clear debris and search for survivors, with heavy machinery, including an excavator from NYS, used in the operation.

The recent incidents have raised concerns over construction safety in Nairobi, with authorities stressing the need for adherence to building regulations and proper construction practices to prevent further tragedies.