Two Killed, Several Feared Trapped After Building Collapses at Gikomba Market Days After Devastating Fire

Two Killed, Several Feared Trapped After Building Collapses at Gikomba Market Days After Devastating Fire

A tragic building collapse at Nairobi’s Gikomba Market has claimed at least two lives, with emergency teams racing against time to rescue people feared trapped beneath tonnes of concrete and twisted metal in one of Kenya’s busiest trading centres.

The incident occurred on the evening of Thursday, June 25, when part of the Block B section of Gikomba Market suddenly gave way, just days after the area suffered extensive structural damage during a massive fire that swept through sections of the market on Sunday.

The collapse has once again highlighted growing concerns over safety at Gikomba, where repeated fires, ageing structures and overcrowding have exposed traders and workers to recurring risks.

Witnesses who spoke after the incident said the building collapsed while several young men were inside dismantling weakened sections of the structure and collecting scrap metal from the fire-damaged premises.

According to eyewitness accounts, the men had entered the building believing it was safe enough to salvage reusable materials before the structure suddenly crumbled.

The collapse sent massive clouds of dust into the air, with frightened traders and nearby residents rushing to the scene in an attempt to assist before emergency responders arrived.

Rescue Teams Race Against Time

Videos from the scene showed rescue personnel working under powerful floodlights as darkness fell over the market.

Emergency workers carefully sifted through large piles of concrete, mangled steel and shattered timber while using specialised rescue equipment in an effort to locate survivors trapped beneath the debris.

Firefighters from the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade, officers from the National Police Service, volunteers and first responders from the Kenya Red Cross Society coordinated the difficult overnight operation.

The humanitarian agency confirmed it had immediately deployed rescue teams to support emergency efforts.

“The Kenya Red Cross is supporting response efforts following a building collapse at Gikomba Market in Nairobi. Search and rescue operations are ongoing alongside the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade,” the organisation said in an initial statement.

Hundreds of anxious traders and relatives gathered around the scene throughout the night as rescue workers continued searching for those believed to have been trapped inside the collapsed structure.

Search Operation Concludes

After several hours of intensive rescue work, the Kenya Red Cross confirmed that the overnight operation had come to an end.

“The overnight search and retrieval operation at Gikomba Market has been successfully concluded through the joint efforts of the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade, Kenya Red Cross first responders and the National Police Service,” the agency announced in a subsequent update.

The humanitarian organisation also said it remained prepared to offer psychosocial support to families affected by the tragedy as authorities continue to assess the aftermath of the collapse.

At the time of reporting, two fatalities had been confirmed, while authorities had not immediately released the identities of the deceased pending notification of their families.

Officials were also expected to determine whether additional casualties or injuries had occurred during the incident.

Collapse Linked to Recent Fire Damage

The tragedy comes only days after a massive inferno ripped through sections of Gikomba Market, destroying hundreds of stalls and causing millions of shillings in losses for traders.

The fire, which reportedly started in the market’s fish section before spreading rapidly, severely weakened parts of Block B, where Thursday’s collapse occurred.

Although investigations into the cause of Sunday’s blaze are still ongoing, structural experts have consistently warned that fire-damaged buildings can become highly unstable if not properly inspected before re-entry.

Authorities are now expected to investigate whether the building had been declared unsafe before members of the public accessed the premises.

Renewed Safety Concerns at Gikomba

Gikomba Market, one of East Africa’s largest open-air markets, has experienced numerous devastating fires and structural safety incidents over the years.

Traders have repeatedly appealed to both the Nairobi County Government and national authorities to strengthen fire prevention measures, improve emergency access routes and accelerate redevelopment plans aimed at modernising the market.

The latest tragedy is likely to renew calls for stricter enforcement of building safety regulations and faster implementation of infrastructure upgrades designed to protect thousands of traders who depend on the market for their livelihoods.

As investigations continue, authorities are expected to establish the exact cause of the collapse and determine whether negligence or failure to secure the fire-damaged structure contributed to the deadly incident.

The Nairobi County Government and security agencies had not issued a comprehensive statement on the collapse by the time of publication, with assessments of the affected area continuing.

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Two Killed, Several Feared Trapped After Building Collapses at Gikomba Market Days After Devastating Fire