Residents of a seven-story apartment in Nairobi narrowly escaped disaster after the building, located in Kahawa West, suddenly collapsed, leaving the structure in ruins. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja confirmed that evacuation notices had been issued to the tenants last week by the County Planning Department. The Kenya Red Cross reported that two people were rescued and taken to Kenyatta University Hospital.
Authorities have evacuated two nearby buildings showing signs of structural failure, and a search and rescue operation is ongoing.
The building had been condemned, and tenants were ordered to leave, but concerns remain that some residents may not have found alternative accommodation and were still inside at the time of the collapse.
The National Construction Authority stated the building owner was instructed to submit a structural integrity report, but the collapse occurred before the assessment was completed. Media reports have pointed to failures in the Nairobi County urban planning department, as housing demand continues to push developers to bypass regulations, contributing to the city’s history of building collapses.
