Officials say four people died after a building collapsed at Blue Estate in Shauri Moyo, Nairobi, during a demolition attempt along the Nairobi River riparian corridor, according to the Ministry of Interior.
A press statement dated Monday, March 16, 2026 said search and rescue teams began operations after the structure in Kamukunji Sub County collapsed earlier in the day.
The ministry explained that the building had been listed for demolition under the ongoing Nairobi River Regeneration Project led by the Nairobi Rivers Commission.
Early reports suggested that several individuals could have been inside the structure when the collapse happened.
Response teams from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, National Government Administrative Officers and the Kenya Red Cross were dispatched to the site and rescue work continues.
In a later update officials confirmed that four people were rescued and one had minor injuries before being taken to hospital for treatment.
The same update reported four deaths and said the exact number of people who might still be trapped has not been confirmed.
According to officials the victims had been removing steel bars and other building materials from the abandoned structure before it suddenly collapsed.
Authorities in Nairobi North said they are closely monitoring the incident and will continue providing updates as rescue and safety assessments move forward.
Members of the public have also been asked to keep away from the area so that emergency teams can carry out operations without interference as work continues.