A 16-storey building under construction collapsed in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, raising fears of multiple casualties as rescue efforts faced crowds of onlookers and police deployed tear gas to disperse them.
The building crumbled in Eastleigh, a densely populated commercial and residential district of the Kenyan capital, with reports indicating that people were trapped beneath the rubble.
Local media also reported incidents of looting shortly after the collapse, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse the crowd gathered at the scene.
The incident has renewed concerns about building safety in Nairobi, where a construction boom has transformed the city’s skyline as the East African business hub attracts residents from rural areas and neighbouring countries.
According to the country’s statistics bureau, the number of buildings completed annually in Nairobi rose from 20,025 in 2022 to 25,090 in 2025, reflecting the pace of urban development.
However, concerns persist over construction standards, regulatory compliance and allegations of corruption that could allow contractors to bypass safety requirements.
Kenyan authorities found last year that 87 per cent of buildings audited nationwide either failed to meet required standards or lacked the necessary approvals.
The latest collapse adds to a history of deadly building failures in the country.
In September 2022, five people were killed when a six-storey building collapsed in a town on the outskirts of Nairobi.
Earlier, in April 2016, 49 people died when a six-storey apartment building crumbled in the northeastern part of the capital after days of heavy rainfall triggered flooding and landslides.
The circumstances surrounding Friday’s collapse, including the number of casualties and the cause of the incident, were not immediately established.
