At Least 6 Killed as Eight-Storey Building Under Construction Collapses Along Mombasa Road

At Least 6 Killed as Eight-Storey Building Under Construction Collapses Along Mombasa Road

At least six people have died after an eight-storey building under construction collapsed near the Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Terminus along Mombasa Road.

The incident happened on Friday morning, triggering an emergency rescue operation as firefighters, medical teams and other responders rushed to the scene to search for workers trapped beneath the rubble.

Nairobi City County confirmed six fatalities, with three bodies recovered during the initial rescue operation before three additional bodies were retrieved from the debris.

Five people were also reported to have been pulled out alive and taken for emergency medical treatment.

In its initial situation report, the county confirmed that rescue teams had managed to reach survivors following the collapse.

“Five (5) casualties have been pulled from the rubble alive and are receiving emergency medical care,” Nairobi County stated.

What caused the Mombasa Road building collapse?

Preliminary findings by Nairobi County indicated that the top slab of the building caved in while construction workers were actively working at the site.

The exact circumstances surrounding the collapse had not been established by the time of reporting.

Authorities were also yet to determine the total number of workers and other individuals who were inside the building when the structure came down.

Rescue teams continued searching through the debris amid concerns that more people could still be trapped underneath the collapsed structure.

The Nairobi City County Fire Team and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team were deployed to coordinate the operation and assist those affected.

Their work involved searching the rubble, locating possible survivors and recovering victims as emergency responders assessed the situation.

Kenya Red Cross confirms rescue operation

The Kenya Red Cross also confirmed that its response teams were at the scene working alongside other emergency agencies.

In an earlier update, the humanitarian organisation reported that three people had been rescued and taken to hospital, while one person was believed to be missing.

“Three people have been rescued and taken to hospital after a building under construction collapsed in Syokimau. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for one person reported missing,” the organisation said.

The Red Cross update provided an early account of the rescue operation, while Nairobi County later reported five survivors and six fatalities.

The different figures were issued at separate stages of the emergency response as rescue operations continued.

Nairobi County issues warning to motorists

Following the collapse, Nairobi County urged members of the public to keep away from the affected area to allow emergency teams to work without obstruction.

Motorists using Mombasa Road, particularly those travelling near the SGR Terminus, were also advised to avoid the immediate incident perimeter.

The restriction was intended to create sufficient space for rescue vehicles, emergency personnel and medical teams responding to the disaster.

Authorities continued to assess the scene as efforts to establish the full extent of the incident progressed.

Eastleigh building collapse raises fresh concerns

The Mombasa Road incident comes weeks after another major building collapse in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area.

On October 23, an 18-storey building collapsed along 9th Street, killing eight people and leaving four others rescued alive.

The two incidents have renewed attention on building safety and construction standards in Nairobi, particularly as the city continues to experience rapid development.

The latest collapse has also raised questions about safety measures at active construction sites and the supervision of ongoing building projects.

However, investigations will be needed to establish the specific circumstances behind the Mombasa Road collapse and determine whether any safety regulations were breached.

As rescue operations continued, families awaited information about those who may have been caught inside the building, while emergency teams worked to establish whether anyone else remained trapped beneath the debris.

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At Least 6 Killed as Eight-Storey Building Under Construction Collapses Along Mombasa Road