At least four people were injured when a building that once housed Club Avenida collapsed during demolition works along Moito Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Saturday, October 17, at around 2 am.
The building came down as demolition workers were dismantling it, triggering an immediate response from the police and emergency services to the site to rescue people who may have been trapped under the debris.
Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria confirmed the incident, noting that the collapse happened at a time when there were few pedestrians and motorists on the street.
“Tonight, along Moito Avenue in the CBD, a building that previously housed Club Avenida collapsed during demolition works, leaving four people injured,” Mr Mosiria wrote on his X platform.
The identities of the injured people and the nature of their injuries have not been revealed. In addition, the cause of the building’s collapse has not been determined.
Mr Mosiria asked county engineers to investigate the incident and establish the cause of the collapse, stating that they should determine whether the demolition was carried out by certified professionals and if the appropriate permits were issued.
“I call upon our county engineers to investigate this incident and establish the cause of this building’s collapse,” he wrote.
He further urged developers to follow county regulations and work with recognized experts to ensure the safety of employees and the public. The police and emergency services arrived at the scene to rescue any trapped persons after the building came down.
The county government has not yet commented on the incident or revealed whether the permits for the demolition of the building were in order. Demolition sites in Nairobi continue to raise safety concerns, mainly when the work is done near busy roads and involves unskilled workers.
Authorities should investigate the incident and determine whether the proper procedures were followed when the building was being demolished.