Two people have been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed high-rise building in Nairobi, Kenya, as emergency teams continue searching for five others reported missing and police launch a manhunt for the building’s owner and contractor.
The building, believed to have been between 16 and 18 storeys, collapsed on Friday afternoon in the Eastleigh area of the Kenyan capital, raising fresh concerns about construction safety and compliance with building regulations.
Police said on Saturday that the two survivors had been taken to hospital, while rescue workers continued digging through the debris in search of those still unaccounted for.
Footage of the incident showed the building’s lower floors giving way before the entire structure crumbled, sending thick clouds of dust into surrounding streets.
Although dozens of construction workers were on the upper floors when the building collapsed, most reportedly escaped unharmed. Authorities believe some of those still missing may have been inside shops operating on the ground floors.
Interior Ministry official Kipchumba Murkomen said 66 of the 67 construction workers at the site had escaped without injury, while the remaining worker sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.
Murkomen had earlier said seven people were reported missing, with rescue teams establishing contact with some individuals believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
The collapse has triggered questions about how the building was constructed and whether the development complied with approved plans and safety standards.
Despite being under construction, the structure reportedly had 11 shops operating on its lower floors. Images from the scene showed concrete slabs stacked on one another, while rescue workers cut through twisted metal in their efforts to reach possible survivors.
Kenya’s National Construction Authority said it had identified the company responsible for the development, as well as the architect and structural engineer involved in the project. However, it did not indicate whether the site had undergone inspections before the collapse.
The National Police Service said it had opened an investigation to establish the cause of the incident and determine whether any individuals or companies should face criminal liability.
It warned that anyone found responsible for negligence or breaches of building regulations would “face the full force of the law”.
Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson told local media that the building’s owners did not possess the required documentation for the structure to be occupied.
He called on the national government to grant local authorities greater powers to sanction developers who disregard approved building plans and safety requirements.
Building collapses have repeatedly raised safety concerns in Nairobi, where rapid urban development has increased scrutiny of construction practices, regulatory oversight and enforcement.
The search for the missing people and the police investigation are continuing.
