Police lob teargas to clear crowds as Emergency Crews Respond to Eastleigh Building Collapse

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 23 – Police officers lobbed teargas and fired shots into the air to disperse crowds that had gathered at the scene of a collapsed building under construction in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

The incident occurred along 9th Street, where a multistorey structure came crashing down, leaving several people feared trapped.

Among those who gathered at the scene was former Nairobi County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria.

Police moved to clear the area as rescue operations continued, with emergency teams working to establish whether anyone remained trapped beneath the debris.

The Nairobi City County says the 12-storey building under construction was located on 1st Avenue, 9th Street, in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area, prompting an emergency response amid reports that people may be trapped beneath the rubble.

The County emergency response teams were deployed at the scene conducting assessments and search and rescue operations.

“The building was still under construction, although the ground floor was already occupied at the time of the collapse,” a statement by the County said.

“Machinery has been deployed to facilitate debris removal and provide access to potential victims as rescuers work to establish whether anyone remains trapped,”

The county confirmed it has notified the Relief Officer and is mobilising additional resources to support the operation.

The number of people affected, the cause of the collapse and the extent of any casualties had not been established in the county’s 2pm status update issued on Friday, October 23, 2026.

Further updates are expected as rescue operations continue.