Several people are feared trapped after a building under construction collapsed along 9th Street in Eastleigh, Nairobi, triggering an emergency response amid fears of casualties.
The building, which was reportedly about 18 storeys high, came crashing down at around 1pm on Friday, raising concerns that construction workers and pedestrians could have been caught in the rubble.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene as police moved in to coordinate rescue efforts and support other agencies responding to the incident.
Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamed said authorities were still gathering information about the collapse as responders raced to the scene.
Mohamed added that more police officers had been deployed to help coordinate emergency service providers at the scene.
Police had to use tear gas canisters to disperse a crowd that gathered at the scene to give way to emergency service providers.
The mob was rowdy and blocked roads to the area.
The collapse occurred along a busy street on First Avenue, raising fears that pedestrians and other members of the public could also have been affected as the structure came down.
The number of people trapped, possible casualties and the cause of the collapse had not been established by the time of publication.
The incident is likely to renew concerns over construction safety and regulatory compliance in Nairobi, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods where buildings are erected close to busy roads and commercial premises.
Rescue operations and efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collapse were ongoing.
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