Kenya’s Board of Engineers Probes Eastleigh Building Collapse as Rescue Efforts Continue

Kenya’s Board of Engineers has launched an investigation into the collapse of a multi-storey building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as emergency teams continues to search for people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

The building collapsed on October 23 along 9th Street in Eastleigh, raising fresh concerns about standards of construction, regulatory oversight and public safety. The Kenya's Board of Engineers said its investigation would establish
factors that were instrumental to the disaster and examine the roles of engineers involved in the project.

According to The Star Kenya, the board warned that professionals found to have violated engineering standards, licensing requirements or other obligations could face regulatory action. Authorities have also emphasised the importance of approved building plans, proper supervision and compliance with construction regulations.

Rescue operations remain the immediate priority. As of Wednesday, October 28, authorities had verified that 16 people remained unaccounted for, down from an earlier figure of 20. Nairobi North Regional Commissioner Simon Osumba said phone-location information indicated that nine of the missing people might have been near the building when it collapsed. Four cases awaited further verification, while three families are yet to provide the relevant phone numbers.

Daily Nation reported that rescuers had cleared approximately 80 per cent of the rubble, although access to the remaining sections remained difficult. Specialised equipment had detected possible signs of life, raising hopes of finding survivors. However, officials cautioned that detecting signs of life did not guarantee that trapped people could be reached safely.

The disaster has intensified calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations, particularly in densely populated neighbourhoods where construction activities and commercial operations place many people at risk.

Investigators are expected to examine whether the project complied with approved designs, whether construction work received adequate professional supervision and whether relevant authorities fulfilled their oversight responsibilities. The precise cause of the collapse has not yet been established.

The incident highlights the importance of ensuring that buildings meet safety standards before construction begins and before occupation. Experts and community representatives have called for stronger inspections and accountability to prevent similar tragedies.

As families await news of missing relatives, the investigations and rescue operation remain expedient to establishing what happened and determining how future building collapses can be averted.