Scores of people are feared trapped after a building under construction collapsed on Saturday evening opposite Karen Community Church along Ngong Road, the Kenya Red Cross has confirmed.
The collapse triggered an emergency rescue operation, with first responders rushing to the scene amid growing fears of casualties, injuries, and fatalities.
While unverified reports circulating online claimed that several people may have died, Kenyans.co.ke could not independently confirm the number of fatalities at the time of publishing.
Kenya Red Cross Confirms Rescue Operations
According to the Kenya Red Cross, rescue teams managed to pull three people alive from the rubble, who were subsequently evacuated for medical treatment.
“Three people have been rescued and evacuated. An unknown number of people are still suspected to be trapped,” the Red Cross stated.
Emergency teams continued search and rescue operations, with heavy machinery and trained responders deployed to access those believed to be buried under debris.
Sonko Claims Bodies Recovered
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko also confirmed the incident, claiming that fatalities had already been recorded.
“Another building has just collapsed in Karen near KCB. Several people are trapped inside. Three dead bodies have already been confirmed,” Sonko said.
However, official confirmation from government agencies on fatalities was still pending.
Authorities Yet to Issue Official Update
By the time of publication, neither the Nairobi County Government nor the National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) had issued an official statement or casualty update regarding the Karen building collapse.
The silence has raised public concern, particularly as emergency response efforts continued late into the evening.
Collapse Follows Recent South C Tragedy
The incident comes less than two weeks after a 12-storey building collapsed in Nairobi’s South C estate, killing two people and injuring several others.
The back-to-back collapses have intensified scrutiny over construction standards, insurance cover, regulatory oversight, and liability enforcement in Nairobi’s real estate sector.
AAK Warns Most Nairobi Buildings Are Unsafe
Previously, the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) raised alarm over the safety of buildings across Nairobi, warning that many structures are unfit for human occupation.
According to figures cited by built-environment professionals, inspections conducted by the National Building Inspectorate revealed that only about 15 per cent of buildings assessed were structurally safe.
This means:
- 85 per cent were unsafe
- Required major structural reinforcement, or
- Posed serious risks to occupants and investors
Root Causes: Poor Enforcement and Substandard Materials
Industry experts have linked the crisis to:
- Weak enforcement of building regulations
- Corruption in approvals and inspections
- Use of substandard construction materials
- Lack of adequate professional supervision and insurance cover
The Karen collapse is expected to reignite calls for stricter regulation, mandatory inspections, developer accountability, and enforcement of construction insurance requirements.