One rescued from collapsed Eastleigh building, rushed to hospital

One person was rescued from the collapsed building under construction in Eastleigh, Nairobi, and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment.

Police and the Kenya Red Cross confirmed the rescue as emergency response teams continued search and rescue operations at the site.

The multi-storey building collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh on Friday, October 23, raising fears that construction workers and other people could be trapped beneath the rubble.

Authorities have been coordinating rescue efforts as teams work to establish whether more people remain trapped in the debris.

Government officials said at least seven people had been reported missing after the building came crashing down along 9th Street on Friday afternoon.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, however, confirmed that all 67 construction workers who were at the site when the building collapsed had been accounted for.

Of the workers, 66 escaped uninjured, while one sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in hospital. His condition was reported to be stable.

Murkomen, who visited the scene on Friday evening alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, said rescue operations were ongoing, with emergency teams working to locate and save anyone who might have been trapped under the debris.

“Seven people have been reported missing. The rescue team has made contact with some of them, and efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in the rubble,” he said.

The CS added that 11 shops located on the building’s ground floor and basement were occupied at the time of the collapse, raising concerns that traders, customers or other occupants could have been caught in the disaster.

On Saturday, Nairobi regional police commander Issa Mohamud said rescue teams remained at the scene, concentrating on clearing the rubble and reaching the lower floors.

“They are still clearing the rubble and we hope they reach the ground floors soon,” he said.

A multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies was coordinating the search and rescue operation.

The government urged families whose relatives were missing to contact the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199, to help establish their whereabouts and support coordination efforts.

Murkomen said the government was providing the rescue teams with the necessary support to accelerate the operation. Arrangements were also being made to assist affected individuals and families, including through psychosocial support.

He assured the public that the circumstances surrounding the collapse would be thoroughly investigated by relevant national and county government agencies in collaboration with professional bodies.

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