Dozens feared trapped as high-rise collapses in Kenya’s Nairobi

A multistory building under construction collapsed at about 1 p.m. on a busy commercial street in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area. More than a dozen floors crumbled onto one another. The collapse mattered because Eastleigh is crowded with traders and residents, and people may have been inside the building or nearby shops.

Joseph Kaula, a plasterer on the fifth floor, escaped just before the collapse. He heard screams and saw workers running outside. One injured woman was rescued and hospitalized. Rescuers feared others remained trapped, including workers possibly in the basement and people in ground-floor businesses.

The response was difficult. Police cleared the area after looting began near neighboring shops, while officials warned that the damaged building could collapse again onto its neighbor. Rescuers initially used tree poles, and excavators arrived gradually. Authorities planned investigations, while residents reported missing relatives and unreachable phones.

A certificate of occupation is an official document confirming that a building can legally be occupied or used. It is normally issued after authorities check whether construction meets required safety standards. The document matters because approval to build is not the same as permission to open the finished or partly finished building to the public.

In Nairobi, Gov. Johnson Sakaja said the collapsed building had been approved for construction but lacked a certificate of occupation. The ground floor had nevertheless been rented to an electronics shop, a butchery and a grocery. Those businesses brought people into a building that was still under construction.

The missing certificate did not prove by itself that the collapse caused specific injuries, but it showed that the building was being used without the required authorization. It also exposed an enforcement gap. Sakaja called for stronger county enforcement powers and tougher penalties for violations.

The building was large: Nairobi’s police chief said it had more than 10 upper floors under construction. The article also describes more than a dozen floors crumbling on top of one another. This scale created a deep, unstable mass of concrete and steel that was difficult to search quickly.

The number of people inside was unknown. Construction workers were on the upper floors, and Kaula suspected some colleagues were trapped in the basement. The ground level had been rented to an electronics shop, a butchery and a grocery, so traders or customers might also have been present. Residents reported relatives making calls for help before phones became unreachable.

Officials set up a tent to collect missing-person reports. Rescuers hoped to reach spaces in the basement and ground level, but limited equipment slowed the operation. The article does not provide a confirmed total for those trapped, injured or killed, so the human toll remained uncertain.

The collapse created immediate danger on several fronts. People may have been trapped beneath concrete and steel, including in spaces in the basement and at ground level. Residents said some trapped relatives called for help, but their phones later became unreachable. Dust and unstable rubble made access difficult and increased the risk to anyone still alive.

Rescuers also faced a possible secondary collapse. Police chief Issa Mohamud warned that the damaged building was leaning on its neighbor. Crews therefore had to search while avoiding further structural movement. Looting near neighboring shops created another obstacle, prompting police to fire tear gas and clear the area for emergency teams.

Equipment was scarce in the first hours. Rescuers used poles stripped from trees to probe the rubble, while one excavator moved steel-bound concrete. At least two more back shovels arrived by evening. The operation depended on reaching voids without causing further collapse.

The article identifies Nairobi’s county government as the central authority for construction oversight. County officials are responsible for issuing building permits and conducting inspections to check compliance with safety guidelines and construction standards. The governor also said the building had been approved for construction, showing that county approval was involved.

The article does not name a separate inspection agency or identify individual inspectors. It says county officials have been accused of failing to conduct adequate inspections. Gov. Johnson Sakaja argued that Kenya’s county governments need stronger enforcement powers because penalties for non-compliance are too lenient.

Police were handling the emergency response and promised investigations into possible negligence. Police chief Issa Mohamud said people responsible would face the law. In short, county authorities oversee approval, inspection and enforcement, while police investigate suspected wrongdoing after a collapse.

Building collapses recur in Nairobi when approved projects are not adequately checked or when safety rules are not strongly enforced. The article says county officials responsible for building permits have been accused of failing to conduct adequate inspections. That can allow developers to ignore construction standards or continue work despite unsafe conditions.

The collapsed building illustrates the concern. It had construction approval but no certificate of occupation, yet its ground floor was being used by an electronics shop, a butchery and a grocery. The building was also still under construction when it failed. These facts show how formal approval and actual use can diverge.

Nairobi Gov. Johnson Sakaja said county governments need stronger enforcement powers. He described penalties for developers who violate regulations as a “slap on the wrist.” Police chief Issa Mohamud promised investigations and legal action for negligence, but the article does not report the investigation’s outcome.

Building codes establish the safety and construction standards a project must meet. Structural inspections provide independent checks during construction and before use. An occupancy certificate is the final permission showing that authorities have accepted the building for people to occupy. These steps matter because construction approval alone does not guarantee safe use.

In this case, the building had been approved for construction but lacked a certificate of occupation. Even so, the ground floor operated as an electronics shop, butchery and grocery while upper floors were still being built. Strong inspections might have identified unsafe work, while enforcement could have stopped public access until problems were fixed.

These safeguards work only when authorities have enough power and apply the rules. The article says Nairobi has faced accusations of inadequate inspections and weak penalties. Sakaja called for stronger county enforcement powers. The collapse therefore highlights the need to connect approval, inspection and legal occupancy.