Building Collapse Near Nairobi Kills Six, Renews Calls for Construction Safety

At least six people have been killed after an unfinished eight-storey building collapsed in Syokimau, on the outskirts of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on Friday morning.

The incident has renewed calls for stronger construction safety regulations and improved oversight of building projects, following a similar deadly collapse in Nairobi about three weeks ago.

Rescue Teams Search for Possible Survivors

According to a preliminary report from Nairobi City County's emergency response team, construction workers were reportedly at the site when the uppermost concrete slab gave way, causing part of the structure to collapse.

The report, however, did not establish what caused the slab to fail or confirm the exact number of workers present when the building came down.

The Kenya Red Cross initially reported that three people had been rescued, while one person was listed as missing. Subsequent television reports said five people had been pulled alive from the rubble and taken to hospital.

Firefighters and specialist rescue teams continued searching the site for survivors, amid concerns that more workers could be trapped beneath the debris.

Patrick Makau, a member of Kenya's parliament representing Mavoko constituency, which includes Syokimau, urged emergency agencies to speed up rescue operations.

“Every second counts,” he wrote in a social media post, while expressing condolences to the victims' families.

Second Deadly Collapse in Three Weeks

The Syokimau incident comes less than a month after another multi-storey building collapsed in Nairobi on October 23, killing eight people.

The two incidents have intensified concerns about construction standards and the enforcement of safety regulations across Kenya.

The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, a state research body, has identified poor workmanship, inadequate supervision, substandard building materials and faulty designs as broader factors contributing to building collapses.

The latest tragedy has renewed pressure on authorities to strengthen inspections and ensure that construction projects comply with approved safety standards.

Al Jazeera / Reuters