Four people were injured after a building that formerly housed Club Avenida collapsed during a demolition exercise along Moi Avenue in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD), prompting calls for an investigation into compliance with construction safety regulations.

The incident occurred on Friday night, October 16, near MKU Union Towers, as workers were demolishing the structure to pave the way for redevelopment.

Nairobi City County Chief Officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria confirmed the collapse in a statement on Saturday, calling on county engineers to establish what caused the building to come down.

“Tonight, along Moi Avenue in the CBD, a building that formerly housed Club Avenida collapsed during demolition, injuring four people,” Mosiria said.

He noted that the incident occurred at night, when pedestrian and vehicle traffic along the busy street was relatively low, potentially preventing further casualties.

County Calls for Investigation

Mosiria urged Nairobi County engineers to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and establish whether the demolition was conducted in accordance with the required safety procedures.

The investigation is expected to determine whether qualified professionals supervised the demolition and whether the necessary approvals had been obtained before work began.

“I call upon our county engineers to conduct a thorough investigation into this specific demolition to establish the cause of the collapse, determine whether qualified experts were involved to guide the demolition, and verify whether all the necessary demolition approvals had been obtained,” he said.

The precise cause of the collapse had not been established in the initial reports following the incident.

Mosiria also appealed to developers to comply with county regulations governing construction and demolition, stressing the importance of protecting workers, pedestrians and neighbouring properties.

“I appeal to all developers to strictly comply with county laws during construction and demolition and work closely with county engineers to ensure safety and protect lives,” he added.

Four People Injured

The collapse prompted an emergency response involving police officers and rescue personnel, who arrived at the scene to assess the situation and check for anyone who might have been trapped beneath the debris.

Initial reports indicated that four people sustained injuries. The Kenya Times reported that three of the injured were in stable condition, while the fourth was in critical condition.

Further details about the victims and their identities were not immediately available.

Building Safety Concerns in Nairobi

The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of demolition exercises in Nairobi, particularly in densely populated commercial areas where structural failures can endanger workers and members of the public.

In March 2026, four people died and four others were injured when a building collapsed during demolition in the Shauri Moyo area of Nairobi. The structure had been earmarked for removal under the Nairobi River Regeneration Project.

Separately, a building under construction collapsed in Nairobi's South C area in January, prompting rescue operations and subsequent criminal proceedings against individuals linked to the project.

The incidents have intensified scrutiny of building approvals, professional supervision and enforcement of construction regulations in the capital.

The findings of the investigation into the Moi Avenue collapse are expected to clarify what caused the structure to fail and whether the demolition complied with the applicable safety requirements.

Authorities had not publicly established responsibility for the incident at the time of publication.