Eastleigh building collapse: Red Cross leads search for possible survivors

Emergency teams have launched a search for possible survivors after a building under construction collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Friday, with the Kenya Red Cross joining other agencies in efforts to establish whether anyone remains trapped beneath the debris.

The incident occurred along Yusuf Haji Avenue, near Day to Day Supermarket on 9th Street, bringing activity in the busy neighbourhood to a disruption as residents, traders and passersby gathered near the scene.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that its personnel were working with other emergency agencies to support search and rescue operations, although the number of people who may have been inside the building when it came down remained unknown.

In a statement issued on X, the organisation called on the public to keep away from the affected area to give rescue personnel enough room to operate safely.

“Response efforts continue at the site of the building collapse along Yusuf Haji Avenue, 9th Street, Eastleigh. Kenya Red Cross teams are working alongside multi-agency partners to support search and rescue operations. Please keep clear of the area to allow responders to work safely,” the organisation said.

Earlier, the humanitarian agency had announced that its response teams were heading to the location as emergency efforts gathered pace.

The collapse raised immediate concerns about the possibility of people being buried under the rubble, with authorities yet to establish the full extent of the incident or confirm any casualties by the time of publication.

Former Nairobi County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria called for an urgent emergency response after reports emerged that a building had collapsed in Eastleigh.

Mosiria said the structure was reportedly 14 storeys high and warned that people could be trapped inside, appealing for specialised personnel and emergency equipment to be mobilised without delay.

“A 14-storey building has reportedly collapsed in Eastleigh 8th street, trapping people inside,” Mosiria stated.

He urged the relevant agencies to deploy ambulances, rescue workers, structural engineers and other experts to help search the wreckage and evacuate anyone found beneath the debris.

“We urgently need emergency response teams to mobilize ambulances, rescue personnel, structural engineers, and other relevant experts to help evacuate those trapped under the rubble,” he said.

The reported height of the building had not been independently verified, while the number of people who may have been inside at the time of the collapse remained unclear.

Rescue teams were expected to establish whether anyone was trapped as the multi-agency operation continued at the site.

The collapse disrupted movement in Eastleigh, one of Nairobi's busy commercial neighbourhoods, as crowds gathered following reports of the incident.

Traffic congestion was reported on roads leading into and out of the affected area, complicating movement around the scene as emergency personnel carried out their duties.

The public was urged to avoid the location and allow rescue teams to work without interference.

Beyond the immediate search for possible survivors, questions remained about what caused the building to collapse and whether it had secured the necessary construction approvals.

Initial reports described the structure as being under construction, but details about its development, compliance with safety standards and the circumstances preceding the collapse had not been confirmed.

The number of people potentially affected, as well as any injuries or deaths, was also yet to be established.

The latest incident comes days after a separate building collapse in Nairobi's central business district, drawing renewed attention to the safety of structures in the capital.

On Saturday, October 17, 2026, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration announced that search operations had been completed following the collapse of the building that housed Club Avenida along Moi Avenue.

The county government identified the structure as Nairobi Block 28/285 and said it came down during a planned demolition ahead of redevelopment.

According to the county, 24 workers had been at the site when the incident occurred. Four sustained injuries, while three were taken to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment. All workers were eventually accounted for.

The county administration further stated that a structural safety assessment would be conducted before any additional work was allowed at the Avenida site.

Unlike the Avenida incident, which the county attributed to a planned demolition, the circumstances behind the Eastleigh collapse remained undetermined.

As rescue teams continued searching the Eastleigh site, attention remained focused on the possibility of survivors, the number of people affected and the factors that led to the building's collapse.

Further details on casualties and the cause of the incident were yet to be confirmed by the time of publication.