Multi-storey building collapses in Nairobi, seven people missing

A multi-storey building under construction collapsed on Friday afternoon in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, and rescuers are searching for seven people feared to be trapped under the rubble. The incident has renewed concerns about construction standards and regulations in the country.

What happened

The collapse took place in Nairobi's Eastleigh area. The block is thought to have had 16 or 18 storeys. Video footage shows the ground floor giving way first, after which the rest of the structure crumples and a cloud of dust spreads into nearby streets. Scaffolding was still visible around the exterior.

Dozens of builders were working on the upper floors. Kipchumba Murkomen, an official at Kenya's interior ministry, said 66 of the 67 construction workers inside at the time got out unharmed, while the remaining one suffered injuries that are not life-threatening.

The search

Those missing are believed to have been in shops that had opened at the base of the building. Officials said 11 shops were already operating on the lower floors. Images from the scene show the concrete floors stacked on top of one another, with rescue workers cutting through metal to reach people thought to be stuck underneath.

The source does not give a cause for the collapse.