Tragedy struck Nairobi’s Gikomba Market on Thursday night after a weakened commercial building suddenly gave way, killing two people and trapping several others beneath the rubble as rescue teams raced against time.
The collapse occurred at the market’s Block B section, which had suffered extensive structural damage during a devastating fire that swept through parts of Gikomba last Sunday morning.
Witnesses told local media that the structure came crashing down while a group of young men were inside salvaging scrap metal and dismantling parts of the already weakened building.
Videos from the scene showed emergency responders working under floodlights, combing through heaps of broken concrete, twisted metal and other debris in search of survivors.
Firefighters, Kenya Red Cross personnel and other emergency teams coordinated the rescue operation as anxious traders and residents gathered nearby, hoping for positive news about those trapped.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that it had deployed first responders to assist the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade and other agencies involved in the operation.
“The Kenya Red Cross is supporting response efforts following a building collapse at Gikomba Market in Nairobi. Search and rescue operations are ongoing alongside the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade,” the humanitarian organisation said.
After several hours of intensive work, the Kenya Red Cross announced that the overnight search-and-retrieval exercise had been completed.
“The overnight search and retrieval operation at Gikomba Market has been successfully concluded through the joint efforts of the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade, Kenya Red Cross first responders and the National Police Service,” the agency said in an update.
The organisation also stated that it remains available to offer psychosocial support to families affected by the tragedy.
The incident comes only days after a massive fire razed sections of Gikomba Market, destroying numerous stalls and leaving parts of the market’s infrastructure structurally compromised.
By Friday morning, neither the Nairobi County Government nor the National Police Service had issued a detailed statement on the collapse, and the identities of the two victims had not yet been released.
Gikomba Market, one of Kenya’s busiest open-air trading hubs, has experienced several fires and safety incidents over the years, prompting repeated calls from traders for stronger safety measures and improved infrastructure.