Seven missing after multi-storey building collapses in Kenya's capital

What the report says

Search and rescue teams are working in Nairobi, Kenya, after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed on Friday afternoon, leaving seven people feared trapped beneath the rubble, according to BBC World News. The block, which was reportedly still being built when it buckled, collapsed in Eastleigh, sending dust into nearby streets and leaving concrete floors stacked on top of each other.

The BBC reported that most of the 67 construction workers inside at the time got out safely. Interior ministry official Kipchumba Murkomen said 66 escaped unharmed and one other worker was injured but not critically. The missing people are believed to have been in shops that had opened on the building’s lower floors, with officials saying 11 businesses were operating there.

Rescue work has been slowed by safety concerns, including worries that heavy excavation equipment could reduce air for anyone still trapped. Emergency crews have instead been cutting through metal and debris by hand and with lighter tools, according to the report.

The collapse has renewed scrutiny of building standards and enforcement in Kenya’s capital. Local and national officials said questions remain over planning approvals, inspections and whether the structure had the proper paperwork to be occupied. Building failures have been a recurring concern in Nairobi, often linked to weak regulation and poor construction practices.