At least two people have died and seven others were injured after a building under construction collapsed on Saturday afternoon in the Karen area of Nairobi, authorities and emergency responders have confirmed.
The incident occurred shortly before 4:00 p.m. along Ngong Road, opposite Karen Community Church, when part of the structure gave way while workers were laying a slab on the second floor.
Tragedy and Rescue Efforts
Emergency services, including the Kenya Red Cross, National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) and county response teams, rushed to the scene to carry out search and rescue operations. Seven people were pulled from the rubble with injuries and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital, where at least two are reported to be in critical condition.
Assistant Inspector-General and NDMU director Duncan Ochieng’ said rescue teams were still working to ensure all affected individuals were accounted for, noting that searching the unstable debris remains challenging.
Initial Findings and Safety Concerns
Preliminary investigations by the Nairobi City County Government suggest that poor workmanship and structural weaknesses may have contributed to the collapse. Early findings indicate substandard construction practices, including the use of inappropriate timber supports instead of required steel props, may have compromised the building’s stability.
The project — whose architectural and structural plans were approved in November 2024 — is being examined to establish whether it complied with approved designs and safety standards. Investigators insist further analysis is needed to determine responsibility.
Broader Safety Issues
The Karen collapse follows another deadly building failure in Nairobi just days earlier, when a 14-storey structure in the South C area pancaked, killing at least two people.
Industry experts and safety advocates have raised alarm over construction quality and enforcement of building regulations in the city, pushing for stronger oversight to prevent future tragedies.
