Why Police Want TikTokers to Stop Broadcasting Eastleigh Rescue Efforts

Incident Police Commander Duncan Ochieng briefs the press on the ongoing rescue operation at the Eastleigh building that collapsed on Friday, October 23.

Police have warned social media creators and citizen journalists against livestreaming rescue efforts at the site of the collapsed building in Eastleigh, saying broadcasts could put the operation at risk.

Incident Police Commander Duncan Ochieng issued the warning during a briefing on Tuesday, October 27. He said some people at the scene had been livestreaming on TikTok and other platforms, potentially disrupting rescue teams.

“Some of us here have been doing live recording on TikTok and all these other platforms. This jeopardizes our operation, so I would urge you to desist from that so that the operation can be done in the most effective way. What we are doing here, we are doing it based on international standards,” Ochieng said.

Since the building collapsed on Friday, October 23, creators, including some with large social media followings, have gathered at the scene to share updates. Some have drawn praise for their detailed coverage and analysis.

Ochieng urged them to stop livestreaming while teams carry out the rescue. He said the operation follows international standards and that the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group is monitoring the work and providing technical advice. Well-wishers have also donated equipment, including acoustic light detectors, which teams are now using.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross said it had closed 30 of the 52 cases recorded in its tracing book after reuniting survivors with their families. George Ndono, head of the organization’s Lower Eastern Region, said the latest case was reported Tuesday morning, leaving 22 unresolved cases.

Chinese machinery and specialist teams have also joined the multi-agency response to the collapse of the 18-storey building under construction along 9th Street.

Construction equipment manufacturer XCMG Group sent an excavator on the first day of the operation, followed by a 25-tonne crane the next day. The machines have helped clear heavy concrete slabs and reach trapped survivors.

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