Seven people have been reported missing following the collapse of an 18-storey building under construction in Eastleigh, Kamukunji Sub-County, Nairobi, prompting a multi-agency search and rescue operation.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said seven people were reported missing from 11 shops located on the ground floor and in the basement, which were occupied when the building collapsed on Friday afternoon.

Murkomen, who visited the scene in the evening alongside Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, said rescue teams had made contact with some of the missing people and were working to reach those believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

The CS said all 67 construction workers who were at the site when the building collapsed had been accounted for, with 66 escaping uninjured while one sustained injuries and was receiving treatment in hospital in stable condition.

A multi-agency team comprising the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Service (NPS), Nairobi City County Government, National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Red Cross and other government agencies is coordinating the rescue operation.

Murkomen said the government was providing the teams with the necessary support to expedite the search and rescue efforts, while arrangements were underway to offer psychosocial support to affected individuals and families.

He urged people whose relatives or loved ones were missing following the incident to report to the Kenya Red Cross through its emergency response number, 1199, to facilitate coordination and the sharing of information.

The Cabinet Secretary expressed sympathy to families whose loved ones remained missing and wished the injured worker a quick recovery.

He said the cause of the collapse would be thoroughly investigated by relevant national and county government agencies in collaboration with professional bodies.

“Those found responsible will be held accountable,” Murkomen said, pledging action against anyone established to have contributed to the incident.

The collapse raises renewed concerns about construction safety and compliance with building regulations in Nairobi, particularly as rescue teams continue working to establish whether anyone else remains trapped in the debris.

Authorities had not announced the cause of the collapse by the time of the statement, and investigations were expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Safi News will continue to follow developments as rescue operations and investigations proceed.