Nairobi: Three Dead, Eight Missing After Perimeter Wall Collapses at Riverside Construction Site
Rescue teams in Nairobi are racing against time to locate eight missing construction workers following a perimeter wall collapse at a Riverside site that left three people dead and 11 others hospitalized with severe injuries.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 am on Saturday at Riverside Square. According to a situation report released by County Chief Officer for Disaster Management and Coordination Bramwell Simiyu, 39 workers were recorded on the premises when the wall caved in.
Of the total workforce, 22 workers have been accounted for. Eleven individuals were pulled alive from the rubble and rushed to nearby hospitals with severe injuries, while another 11 were found safe and stable at the scene. Three fatalities were confirmed, and operations to recover the deceased are currently underway.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the main building was still at the excavation and foundation stage, with no upper floors erected at the time of the collapse. Nairobi County disaster management teams and national emergency agencies immediately cordoned off the area to protect the public and facilitate rescue efforts.
Authorities have urged motorists and members of the public to avoid the immediate Riverside area. This measure ensures that emergency vehicles and heavy rescue machinery maintain unhindered access to the site.
Once the search operations conclude, the county administration and national regulators plan to examine the site’s safety standards. A comprehensive structural and regulatory compliance audit will be conducted jointly by the County Department of Built Environment and Urban Planning and the National Construction Authority (NCA).
