Workers at an 18-storey building that collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, have recounted how they fled for their lives after hearing and feeling the structure shake moments before it came crashing down.
Alexander Mugure, one of the workers at the site, said they noticed a section of the building had developed a crack, prompting some of them to move out in an attempt to save themselves.
“Wakati tulikuwa tunafanya kazi, tuliona kuna kona moja ilikuwa imepasuka, then tukatoka kujaribu kujiokoa, kufika chini tukaona nyumba imeporomoka,” he said.
Mugure said about 70 workers were at the site when the building collapsed, with most of them rushing out to escape the falling structure.
He, however, expressed concern that some workers had been in the basement when the building came down, raising fears that they could have been trapped beneath the rubble.
The collapse occurred along 1st Avenue, 9th Street, in the busy Eastleigh commercial area, bringing activity in the neighbourhood to a standstill as emergency teams rushed to the scene.
Another worker, Joseph, who was undertaking plastering work, said he was working with colleagues on one of the upper floors when they heard people shouting outside.
He said they initially thought the commotion involved people fighting and decided to go downstairs to find out what was happening.
“Tulikuwa tunafikiria pengine ni watu wanapigana, tukasema wacha tutoke twende tuangalie. Kufika chini tunaona nyumba inaporomoka,” he said.
Joseph’s account captures the confusion workers faced as the structure began collapsing, with those inside scrambling to get out before the debris engulfed the building.
An eyewitness who was passing along the street said he watched the building come down, describing the collapse as sudden.
He said the structure fell within about two minutes, leaving debris spread across the site and drawing crowds of residents and traders.
Emergency response teams were deployed to search for possible survivors, with machinery brought in to help clear the rubble and open access to areas where people could be trapped.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who visited the scene with county officials, said rescue officers were clearing sections of the debris to allow oxygen into the building for those feared trapped inside.
Sakaja also said the building did not comply with construction guidelines and vowed that legal action would be taken against the owner.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed that one person had been rescued from the rubble as search operations continued.
Earlier, police lobbed tear gas to disperse crowds that had gathered at the scene, as officers sought to keep access routes clear for emergency responders.
The number of workers or members of the public still trapped, the full casualty toll and the cause of the collapse had not been established at the time of reporting.
The incident has renewed concerns about construction safety and enforcement of building regulations in Nairobi, particularly in densely populated areas where multi-storey developments are common.
