Construction disaster near Nairobi. Six people are dead

The tragedy occurred on Friday before noon in the town of Syokimau, located near the Kenyan capital. The preliminary report of the emergency services shows that the ceiling of the eight-story building first collapsed, which led to the collapse of part of the structure and trapping workers under the rubble.

The Kenya Red Cross initially reported that three people had been rescued and that one employee was missing. Later reports said five people were pulled alive from the rubble. All the injured were taken to hospital.

Recent reports from the Kenyan media indicate that at least six people died in the construction disaster.

Both firefighters and specialized teams participated in the search and rescue operation. “Every second counts,” wrote Patrick Makau, a parliamentarian representing the district where the tragedy occurred, on social media.

Construction disasters are common in Kenya

According to data from the state-owned Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, construction disasters often occur in the country, and the number of such events is increasing.

Between 2020 and 2025, Kenya recorded 5 to 14 building collapses per year. This year - from January to mid-November - 25 such events were recorded, in which 38 people died. This is more than in any year since 2020 - previously the most tragic was 2022, when 14 people died.