Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja arrived at the scene of a multi-storey building collapse in Eastleigh on Friday as emergency teams intensified search and rescue operations amid fears that people were trapped beneath the rubble.
Sakaja was accompanied by several county officials as he assessed the situation along 1st Avenue, 9th Street, where the 12-storey building under construction came crashing down.
The collapse occurred in the busy Eastleigh commercial area, prompting a large crowd of residents and onlookers to gather at the scene as emergency responders worked to establish whether anyone was trapped.
Earlier, police lobbed tear gas to disperse the crowd after the growing number of people threatened to disrupt access to the site and complicate rescue efforts.
Movement along 9th Street and First Avenue had slowed significantly as crowds surged towards the scene, bringing activity in parts of the neighbourhood to a standstill.
Nairobi City County said its emergency response teams were at the site conducting assessments and search and rescue operations.
In an update issued at 2 pm, the county confirmed that the collapsed structure was still under construction, although the ground floor was already occupied.
“Rescue teams are assessing the scene and conducting search and rescue operations amid reports that people may be trapped beneath the rubble,” the county said.
Machinery had been deployed to help remove debris and create access routes for responders searching for possible victims.
The county also said its Relief Officer had been notified, with efforts underway to mobilise additional resources to support the rescue operation.
The number of people who may have been trapped, as well as the cause of the collapse, had not been established by the time of the update.
The incident drew residents, traders and passers-by to the area, with police attempting to control the crowds and ensure emergency teams could work without obstruction.
Eastleigh is one of Nairobi’s busiest commercial centres, characterised by high pedestrian traffic, shops and multi-storey buildings.
The county said further updates would be provided as more information became available.
Rescue efforts were continuing as emergency teams worked to clear debris and determine whether there were survivors beneath the collapsed structure.
