A tragic building collapse in Shauri Moyo has left four people dead and several others rescued, prompting renewed safety warnings from the Nairobi City County Government to residents living along riverbanks and other high-risk zones.
Authorities confirmed that search and rescue operations at the Blue Estate site in Shauri Moyo, located in Kamukunji Sub-County, were successfully concluded on Monday after emergency teams combed through the debris of the collapsed structure.
According to the county government, four male victims were pulled out alive from the rubble during the operation. Two of the survivors were rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialized treatment, while the other two received first aid at the scene.
However, rescuers also recovered four unidentified male bodies from the debris, bringing the death toll to four. The bodies were handed over to police officers for further processing and identification.
The ill-fated structure was among buildings situated along the Nairobi River riparian corridor that had already been earmarked for demolition under the ongoing Nairobi River Regeneration Programme.
Investigations indicate that the victims were reportedly salvaging steel bars and other construction materials from the abandoned building when it suddenly collapsed.
The rescue operation drew a coordinated response from multiple agencies, including the Nairobi City County Urban Search and Rescue team and firefighters, officers from the National Disaster Management Unit, the Disaster Response Battalion of the Kenya Defence Forces and volunteers from the Kenya Red Cross.
Officials said the operation site has since been formally handed over to the local administration under the Kamukunji Assistant County Commissioner.
Authorities have also cordoned off the area due to fears that a nearby building could collapse after showing signs of structural weakness, raising fresh concerns about safety in densely populated informal settlements along Nairobi’s riverbanks.
In a statement, the county government expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and urged residents occupying riparian land to prioritize safety.
Led by Johnson Sakaja, the county administration reiterated its warning for people living along riverbanks and other vulnerable zones to voluntarily relocate to avoid similar tragedies.
The incident has once again spotlighted the dangers posed by abandoned and structurally unsound buildings in Nairobi, especially those located within riparian corridors targeted for clearance under the city’s river regeneration plan.
