A multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, on Friday, the Red Cross said, amid local media reports of casualties and looting at the scene.
Videos circulating online showed the building, believed to be about 18 storeys high, crumbling to the ground and sending huge clouds of dust into the air in Eastleigh, a densely populated commercial and residential neighbourhood.
AFP journalists at the scene found the building reduced to a heap of rubble as a small number of search-and-rescue teams arrived.
“There were some businesses in the basement and workers who were busy building,” said Abdi Aziz, a 25-year-old resident of the area.
“But as it was (the Friday prayer), a lot of them were at the mosque. I think few people died because no one was living there,” he told AFP.
Asked whether he had noticed any apparent construction flaws, Aziz said: “Everyone rushes to build in this neighbourhood.”
Local media reported possible casualties trapped beneath the rubble, as well as looting at the site. Images showed large crowds gathering shortly after the collapse, which occurred around lunchtime.
AFP journalists saw police fire tear gas to disperse people gathered near the scene.
Rescue operations had yet to begin when AFP arrived, while the site’s location, surrounded by high-rise buildings, posed additional challenges for emergency responders.
Nairobi is experiencing a rapid construction boom, with high-rise buildings springing up across the city, particularly in Eastleigh, known for its busy markets and large Somali community.
The pace of development has raised concerns about building safety and compliance with construction standards.
Between 2009 and 2019, Kenya recorded 86 building collapses that killed an estimated 200 people, according to a report by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis.
The report also cited an audit by the National Building Inspectorate which found that, among nearly 15,000 buildings inspected, 4.8 per cent were classified as very dangerous, while 72.3 per cent were deemed unsafe.
The number of buildings completed annually in Nairobi rose from 20,025 in 2022 to 25,090 last year, according to the country’s statistics bureau.
The growth reflects Nairobi’s expanding role as East Africa’s leading business hub, attracting people from rural areas and neighbouring countries.
