Two people have been confirmed dead, while seven others were injured after a building under construction collapsed on Saturday evening along Ngong Road, opposite Karen Community Church.
The collapse occurred shortly after 5pm, prompting an emergency response from the Kenya Red Cross and other rescue teams. Initial updates from the Red Cross indicated that three people were evacuated from the scene, with six others later rushed to hospital as rescue operations intensified.
According to preliminary reports, the incident happened when the first floor of the building caved in while workers were laying the slab foundation at the entrance of the structure. A roll call conducted at the site has since confirmed that all other workers have been accounted for.
“Clearing of the rubble is ongoing, and all other trapped persons have been accounted for. Response teams remain on site as operations continue,” the Kenya Red Cross said in a statement.
The Ngong Road collapse comes just days after a separate incident in South C, where a 14-storey building under construction at the South C Shopping Centre area collapsed in the early hours of the morning. That incident triggered a large-scale rescue operation and reignited concerns over construction safety and regulatory enforcement in Nairobi.
The latest tragedy also follows warnings by the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK), which has repeatedly raised alarm over the safety of buildings in the capital. The professional body has cautioned that a significant number of structures in Nairobi may be unfit for human occupation.
In a statement issued earlier this week, AAK called for stricter enforcement of building regulations, continuous professional supervision, and for development approvals to remain interim until full compliance is verified.
“Approvals should be interim and finalised only at practical completion, upon verification of compliance with approved plans, adequate professional supervision, and the National Building Code 2024,” the association stated.
