16-storey building collapsed in Nairobi: one injured, unknown number of people trapped

At least one person was injured, and two others remain unaccounted for after a 16-storey building under construction collapsed early Friday in Nairobi, according to police and the Kenya Red Cross Society. The incident occurred in the South C residential area in the southern part of the capital. Authorities said there were no construction workers at the site when the building came down.

Langata Sub-County Police Commander Pius Mwanthi said emergency teams from multiple agencies were deployed to search through the debris and assess whether more people may have been affected. One man, believed to have been a passerby, was injured and taken to hospital.

Police are also searching for two security guards who were reportedly on duty at the site at the time of the collapse and are still missing. “We have not yet accounted for the guards. Search and rescue teams are currently on the ground,” Mwanthi said.

Witnesses said the building collapsed at about 4:00 a.m. local time. The area has since been sealed off as rescue efforts continue, involving the National Disaster Management Unit, Nairobi City County authorities, the National Police Service and the Kenya Red Cross.

Kenya has experienced several similar incidents in recent years, often linked to poor enforcement of building regulations and inadequate oversight during construction. The cause of the current collapse is not clear yet.