The tragic collapse of a building at Gikomba Market has left two people dead and raised fresh concerns about safety at one of Nairobi’s busiest trading centres.
The incident happened on the evening of Thursday, June 25, just days after a major fire destroyed parts of the market and weakened several structures.
According to information gathered by our editorial team, the collapsed structure was located in Block B, an area that had suffered significant damage during the fire that swept through Gikomba on Sunday morning. Witnesses said the building gave way while a group of young men had entered the damaged section to collect scrap metal and remove parts of the weakened structure.
Residents and traders described hearing a loud crash before dust and debris covered the area. Several people were believed to have been trapped beneath the rubble immediately after the collapse, prompting an emergency response from rescue teams.
Videos from the scene showed firefighters, Kenya Red Cross personnel and other emergency responders working through the night under powerful floodlights. Rescue teams carefully searched through broken concrete slabs, twisted metal sheets and other debris as anxious traders, family members and residents watched from nearby, hoping for positive news.
The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that it had deployed first responders to support the operation together with the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade and other emergency agencies.
The organisation said search and rescue efforts continued for several hours as teams worked to locate everyone believed to have been inside the building at the time of the collapse.
Later, the humanitarian organisation announced that the overnight search and retrieval operation had been completed through a joint effort involving the Nairobi City County Fire Brigade, Kenya Red Cross first responders and the National Police Service. It also stated that psychosocial support would be made available to families affected by the tragedy through the appropriate channels.
Authorities had confirmed that two people lost their lives in the incident. However, by the time rescue operations ended, the identities of the deceased had not yet been made public.
Officials had also not released further details regarding the total number of people who may have been injured or trapped during the collapse.
The incident has drawn renewed attention to the condition of structures within Gikomba Market, particularly those damaged by the recent fire. Many traders had already suffered heavy losses after the blaze destroyed businesses and goods worth millions of shillings.
The building collapse has now added another layer of tragedy for a community still trying to recover.
Gikomba Market, one of Kenya’s largest open-air trading centres, has experienced several fires and other safety-related incidents over the years. Traders have repeatedly called on the Nairobi County Government to improve safety standards, strengthen infrastructure and put in place measures to reduce the risks faced by thousands of people who work and shop at the market every day.
