Dramatic footage captured the terrifying moment a towering structure under construction in Kenya’s capital suddenly gave way this afternoon, pancaking into a mountain of concrete and steel as shoppers and traders fled for their lives.
The collapse struck around 1 pm local time along Yusuf Haji Avenue on 9th Street in Eastleigh, one of Nairobi’s most densely packed commercial neighbourhoods, next to the Day to Day Supermarket. Reports put the building at anywhere between 12 and 18 storeys, with lower floors already occupied by shops and rental units even as construction continued higher up.
In the video, the half-finished block, still wrapped in scaffolding netting, can be seen beginning to fail near its base. Within seconds, a roaring avalanche of debris engulfs the street, billowing a massive beige dust cloud that swallows parked cars, market stalls and bystanders. Filmed from a nearby balcony, the clip shows people running and a woman in a purple headscarf staring in shock as the cloud surges toward the camera.
Chaos erupted immediately. Hundreds of residents, traders and passers-by flooded the narrow streets, blocking access for emergency crews. Police were forced to fire tear gas to clear the crowds and stop youths scavenging scrap metal from the rubble. Witnesses said some people even threw stones at ambulances trying to reach the scene.
Kenya Red Cross teams were among the first on site, urging the public to stay clear so rescue work could continue. Nairobi County emergency units, including heavy machinery, were deployed to dig through the debris. Governor Johnson Sakaja and Nairobi Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamed were both reported at the location as the operation got underway.
“We urge the public to keep clear of the area to allow emergency teams to work safely,” the Red Cross said in a statement. County officials confirmed machinery was being used to remove debris and reach any possible victims. No official casualty figures had been released by late afternoon, but authorities confirmed several people were feared trapped, likely construction workers and anyone inside the occupied lower floors.
The incident comes just days after another building collapse in Nairobi’s Central Business District, where the former Club Avenida structure came down during a controlled demolition on 17 October, injuring four workers. Critics have long warned that rapid, poorly regulated construction in the city, often using substandard materials and unauthorised design changes, continues to put lives at risk.
Investigators have not yet established what caused today’s failure. Rescue efforts were continuing into the evening as teams worked against the clock to search the unstable pile of rubble in the heart of one of Nairobi’s busiest markets. This is a developing story.
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