Four people have been rescued alive from a building that collapsed in Nairobi, but families are still searching for missing relatives. Officials face questions over why construction continued after the city’s authorities say the building plans had not been approved.
Rescue teams in Kenya have continued searching the wreckage of a multi-storey building that collapsed in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on Friday 23 October 2026. Four survivors had been confirmed by police as of Sunday evening, while the Kenya Red Cross was checking dozens of reports of missing people.
The unfinished building fell at around 1pm local time on a busy street in the densely populated Eastleigh neighbourhood. Its lower floors were already being used as shops, even though the building had not received an occupation certificate, according to Associated Press. The exact number of floors differs between contemporary reports, so the structure’s height has not been treated as settled.
Four survivors rescued as families await news
Kenya’s National Police Service said on Sunday 25 October that four people had been rescued and that specialist teams were still at the scene. The operation has involved the Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Defence Forces, police, county responders and heavy lifting equipment. The Eastleigh Voice carried the police update.
Among those rescued were tailor Victor Onyango and shop owner Zaynaba Mohammed, who were trapped overnight. Associated Press reported that both had received hospital treatment and subsequently been discharged.
The Red Cross reported receiving 47 missing-person reports by Sunday, according to AP. This is not a confirmed count of 47 people under the rubble. The organisation has been tracing people to establish whether they were inside the building, and some people initially reported missing have since been located. Radio 47 reported that at least nine had been reunited with their relatives.
No reliable final tally of people trapped, injured or killed had been established in the police’s latest update reviewed for this report. The totals are subject to change as rescuers and tracing teams continue their work.
What is known about construction permission?
The collapse has intensified scrutiny of the building’s planning history. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the county had approved a change of use for the property in October 2024, but had not approved the architectural plans subsequently submitted for construction, according to The Standard. These are different permissions, and a change-of-use approval does not authorise an otherwise unapproved structure.
Sakaja also said county officers had taken enforcement action over the construction. In reporting published on Monday 26 October, Daily Nation said he was demanding an explanation for why some suspects arrested over alleged planning breaches in June had reportedly been released on cash bail and why work was allowed to continue. These are allegations and questions arising from the governor’s account, not findings of criminal guilt.
Officials also say the building lacked the occupation certificate needed for shops operating in its ground and basement floors. Investigators have not yet established the structural cause of the collapse or who, if anyone, bears legal responsibility.
A difficult rescue in a crowded neighbourhood
Footage of the collapse shows clouds of dust engulfing the street as the unfinished structure gives way. Rescue workers have used excavators, sniffer dogs and thermal sensors to search through concrete slabs and twisted reinforcing steel. Nearby buildings and the narrow commercial street have complicated access.
Police have asked onlookers to stay away from affected parts of Yusuf Haji Avenue and 9th Street to allow emergency equipment through. Families looking for relatives have been directed to the Kenya Red Cross tracing desk at the scene or to call 1199, according to the police statement reported by People Daily.
Watch: NBC News report on the collapse
The following NBC News report, published on 24 October, shows the aftermath of the collapse and early rescue efforts. The rescue figures in this article are more recent than the figures available when the video was recorded.
What happens next?
The immediate priority remains locating any surviving victims and establishing the whereabouts of those reported missing. Beyond the rescue, investigators will need to examine the building design, construction work, planning records, inspections and previous enforcement action.
Four confirmed rescues offer some hope, but they do not yet resolve the questions facing relatives or the wider issue of how an occupied, unfinished building could reach this stage without the approvals officials say were required.
Sources
- Associated Press: four rescued and Red Cross tracing reports, 25 October 2026
- The Eastleigh Voice: National Police Service rescue update, 25 October 2026
- The Standard: Nairobi governor’s account of construction approvals, 24 October 2026
- Daily Nation: enforcement and arrests questions, 26 October 2026
- People Daily: police announcement and emergency contact details, 25 October 2026
- NBC News: video report, 24 October 2026
