The Kenyan Red Cross reported that two individuals were rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building. The Nairobi apartment complex had been condemned for demolition, and many former residents had already vacated the premises in the days leading up to the incident.

Several families are feared to be trapped beneath the rubble following the collapse of an eight-story residential building in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday.

Officials confirmed that the building, situated in the densely populated Kahawa West neighborhood, had been condemned and scheduled for demolition. The Kenyan Red Cross reported via social media that at least two individuals have been rescued from the debris. "The search and rescue operation continues, thanks to the multi-agency response team," they added.

According to documents reviewed by the AFP news agency, the apartment block was constructed and occupied without the necessary approval from city authorities. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja reassured the public on social media that "casualties are expected to be minimal as the building had been condemned and evacuations had been carried out."

Despite this, former residents expressed their shock at the timing of the incident. One woman, who had moved out just the day before, shared her distress: "I don't feel good because I moved out yesterday. I am shaky; I am stressed. I have friends whose belongings have been destroyed in there."

Kenya is currently experiencing a construction boom, but issues of corruption have led some contractors to bypass regulations and cut corners. In a similar incident in 2022, five individuals lost their lives when a six-story building collapsed in Nairobi.