Two survivors were rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Saturday as search and rescue operations entered their second day, with at least seven people initially reported missing.
The two, including a woman pulled from the debris about 24 hours after the building collapsed, were rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment.
Police and the Kenya Red Cross confirmed the rescues, saying emergency teams were continuing to search through the rubble for people feared trapped following Friday’s collapse along 9th Street.
The woman and the other survivor were found on the ground floor, where rescuers had to dig through the debris to reach them. Onlookers cheered as emergency teams brought the survivors out.
Another man had been rescued from the scene on Friday night, according to the Kenya Red Cross.
Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said the two survivors rescued on Saturday were in stable condition in hospital.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said all 67 construction workers who were at the site when the building collapsed had been accounted for.
Of these, 66 escaped uninjured, while one sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in hospital in stable condition.
However, the government said at least seven people had initially been reported missing, with rescuers working to establish the whereabouts of those who might still be trapped.
“Seven people have been reported missing. The rescue team has made contact with some of them, and efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in the rubble,” Murkomen said.
He spoke after visiting the scene on Friday evening alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku.
The collapse has renewed questions about building safety and enforcement in Nairobi, where similar incidents have raised concerns over construction standards and compliance with approved plans.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building’s owners did not have the required paperwork for it to be occupied.
He urged the national government to give county authorities greater powers to penalise developers who disregard approved building plans and safety standards.
The circumstances surrounding the collapse, including compliance with construction regulations, are expected to be investigated by relevant national and county government agencies in collaboration with professional bodies.
Murkomen said 11 shops on the building’s ground floor and basement were occupied at the time of the collapse, raising concerns that traders, customers and other occupants could also have been caught in the disaster.
A multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Nairobi county, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies was coordinating the rescue operation.
The government urged families whose relatives were missing to contact the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199, to help establish their whereabouts and coordinate information.
Murkomen said the government was providing rescue teams with the support needed to speed up the operation. Arrangements were also being made to assist affected individuals and families, including through psychosocial support.
As rescuers continued to comb through the rubble, the incident once again placed the spotlight on the enforcement of building regulations and accountability for unsafe developments in the capital.
Instant analysis
The rescue of survivors from the Eastleigh building collapse offers a glimmer of hope amid a disaster that has renewed concerns over construction safety in Nairobi. While emergency teams race against time to locate those feared trapped, questions are mounting over regulatory enforcement after the governor said the building lacked the required occupancy paperwork. The tragedy once again exposes the urgent need for accountability, effective inspections and strict adherence to building standards.
