The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has announced that six survivors have so far been rescued from a collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as emergency teams continue searching for more victims.
In a statement on Monday, October 26, KDF said two survivors were rescued in subsequent operations and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital in stable condition for further treatment and monitoring.
The military deployed specialised Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, a Rapid Response Unit from the Kenya Air Force and canine units to support the operation.
“The joint rescue efforts have so far resulted in the recovery of six survivors, including two rescued during subsequent operations. The two were reported to be in stable condition and referred to Kenyatta National Hospital,” KDF noted.
The Kenya Defence Forces officers during a rescue operation at a collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi County on Monday, October 26, 2026.
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KDF
KDF Central Command Chief Major General William Kamoiro visited the scene to assess rescue efforts, where he met emergency responders and offered support to affected families.
To further boost rescue efforts, Kamukunji MP Yussuf Hassan announced that a Chinese search-and-rescue team, Blue Sky Rescue, has joined the operation with specialised equipment to help locate people trapped inside the building.
Addressing members of the public moments after visiting the scene, Hassan said the team had detected two people alive in the basement, raising hopes of rescuing more survivors.
“This afternoon a Chinese search-and-rescue team, Blue Sky Rescue (USAR), joined the effort with specialised equipment. They have already detected two people alive in the basement of the building,” Hassan said.
Blue Sky Rescue is a Chinese non-profit emergency response organisation that specialises in locating and rescuing people trapped in disasters such as building collapses, earthquakes and floods.
The organisation uses trained rescue teams and specialised equipment to search for survivors, provide emergency assistance and support disaster response operations.
The building, which was still under construction, collapsed on Friday, October 23, triggering an emergency response as families sought information about relatives who might have been inside the structure.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja raised concerns about the building's approvals, saying the county had approved a change of use from residential to commercial-cum-residential in October 2024 but did not approve architectural plans for the development.
Sakaja also questioned how shops were allowed to operate on the ground floor despite the building reportedly lacking an occupation certificate.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has since directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse, including the roles of county officials and the contractor.
Aftermath of the Eastleigh building collapse in Nairobi on October 23, 2026.
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Kenya Red Cross