A residential building in Nairobi, Kenya, collapsed on Sunday, trapping several people, according to county officials and emergency responders. Such incidents are common in the country, often due to poor construction and ignored regulations.
The eight-storey structure in Kahawa West had been condemned for demolition. The Kenya Red Cross reported that several families might be trapped under the debris.
A woman who was outside during the collapse sustained injuries but is in stable condition, according to Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja, who also noted that nearby residents would be evacuated.
Onlookers gathered as the building crumbled between high-rises and a church. Catherine Wanjiku, a resident since 2017, expressed relief at her escape, saying she moved out just a day prior. “I am shaky and stressed. I have friends whose belongings have been destroyed,” she said.
Official documents revealed that the building was constructed and occupied without necessary approvals. Tenants had been ordered to vacate within two weeks. While Kenya is experiencing a construction boom, corruption has led to regulatory lapses.
Previously, a six-storey building collapsed on the outskirts of Nairobi in September 2022, killing five people. In April 2016, a six-floor apartment collapse resulted in 49 fatalities after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides. The doomed building was built two years earlier and was also slated for demolition due to structural issues.