Day Two: Search for missing people continues after Eastleigh building collapse

Rescue workers in Nairobi’s Eastleigh estate returned to the site of a collapsed 18-storey building on Saturday, pressing on with efforts to locate seven people reported missing as emergency teams worked to remove debris and gain access to the lower floors.

The building, which was under construction, collapsed along 9th Street on Friday afternoon, triggering a rescue operation involving several government agencies and emergency responders. The search has focused on establishing whether anyone remains trapped beneath the wreckage.

The Kenya Red Cross reported on Friday night that two injured people had been taken to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment following the incident.

However, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said all 67 construction workers who were at the site before the building came down had been accounted for. He said 66 workers escaped without injuries, while one was hurt and taken to hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable.

Murkomen visited the scene on Friday evening alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, where he received an update on the ongoing rescue efforts.

He said emergency teams were working to establish the whereabouts of those still missing and reach anyone who might have been trapped in the rubble.

“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,” he said.

The search has also raised concerns over people who may have been inside the building but were not part of the construction workforce. Murkomen said 11 shops on the ground floor and in the basement were occupied when the structure collapsed, increasing fears that traders, customers or other occupants could have been caught in the disaster.

Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud said on Saturday that rescue operations were continuing, with teams concentrating on removing the rubble to reach the building’s lower levels.

“We hope they reach the ground floors soon,” he said.

The operation brings together personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies. The teams are coordinating their efforts as they work to establish whether more people are trapped inside the collapsed structure.

Authorities have asked families whose relatives remain unaccounted for to contact the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199. The information is expected to help responders establish the whereabouts of missing people and coordinate assistance.

Murkomen said the government was providing the necessary support to help emergency workers carry out the operation as quickly as possible. He added that arrangements were being made to assist affected people and their families, including through psychosocial support.

Meanwhile, the circumstances that led to the collapse are expected to come under scrutiny. Murkomen said relevant national and county government agencies would work with professional bodies to investigate the incident and establish what caused the building to fall.

He warned that anyone found culpable would be held accountable as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.