NAIROBI, Kenya — A woman has been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed multi-storey building in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, hours after a man was pulled from the debris and taken to hospital, as emergency teams continue searching for potentially missing people.
The two rescues followed Friday’s building collapse along 9th Street, near Yusuf Haji Avenue, where multi-agency teams have been working to reach people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The Kenya Red Cross said its search and rescue teams, working alongside other emergency responders, had pulled a trapped man from the debris after hours of painstaking work and taken him to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for treatment.
The subsequent rescue of a woman offered renewed hope to families awaiting news of missing relatives as the operation continued on Saturday, October 24.
Police have also launched a search for the building’s owner and contractor as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the collapse and possible breaches of construction regulations.
Police investigate building owner and contractor
The National Police Service (NPS) said investigations were underway to establish the cause of the collapse and determine whether negligence or violations of building regulations contributed to the disaster.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said authorities would take action against anyone found culpable following the investigations.
“Any individual or entity found culpable of negligence or of violating building regulations will face the full force of the law,” Nyaga said.
Investigators are seeking the building’s owner and the contractor responsible for the construction project as they establish the circumstances leading to the collapse.
The search does not amount to a finding of guilt. Investigators must establish the facts and determine whether any individual or company breached legal or professional obligations before liability can be established.
The investigation is expected to examine construction records, approvals, structural compliance and the roles of the parties involved in the development.
Police have urged members of the public to keep away from the affected section of Yusuf Haji Avenue and 9th Street to allow rescue personnel and heavy machinery to operate safely.
Red Cross records missing-person reports
The Kenya Red Cross said it had recorded 31 missing-person cases following the collapse and was working to verify the reports.
The organisation said two people had been reunited with their families as tracing efforts continued.
The figures remain subject to verification as responders establish who was inside or near the building when it collapsed. Some people initially reported missing may have left the site before the incident.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said all 67 construction workers believed to have been at the site had been accounted for. One worker was injured, while the other 66 escaped unharmed.
However, accounting for the construction workers does not establish the whereabouts of everyone who may have been inside the building, including people who could have been in its ground-floor shops or basement.
The Kenya Red Cross has established a tracing desk at the scene to assist families searching for missing relatives. Those seeking information have been urged to visit the desk or call the organisation’s toll-free number, 1199.
Multi-agency teams continue rescue operation
The rescue operation involves personnel from the National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Red Cross, Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service and other emergency response agencies.
Excavators and specialised canine units have been deployed to help clear debris and locate possible survivors.
The operation requires careful coordination because removing heavy sections of concrete and steel can destabilise surrounding debris and create additional risks for both trapped people and rescuers.
Teams are continuing to search the site as authorities work to establish whether anyone else remains beneath the collapsed structure.
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The building came down on Friday afternoon in a busy commercial area of Eastleigh, where shops and other businesses operate close to construction sites.
The total number of people who may have been inside or near the building when it collapsed remains subject to verification.
Building approvals under scrutiny
The collapse has renewed scrutiny of construction approvals, building safety and regulatory enforcement in Nairobi.
Governor Johnson Sakaja said county records showed that an application for a proposed 15-storey building with a basement had not been approved, although a change-of-user application had been granted in 2024.
The National Construction Authority listed 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer and Stromax Holdings E.A Limited as the contractor in its records for the project, which was registered on July 30, 2025. The authority also identified the architect and structural engineer associated with the development.
Investigators are expected to examine the project’s approval history, the construction process and whether the relevant safety requirements were followed.
The precise cause of the collapse has not been established, and no final findings of responsibility have been announced.
As the search continues, the immediate priority remains locating anyone who may still be trapped, supporting affected families and establishing the circumstances that led to the disaster.
