Government reveals South C collapsed building exceeded approved height

The building that collapsed in South C, Nairobi, early Friday had been approved for only 12 floors, the Government has said, raising fresh concerns over illegal construction and weak enforcement within Nairobi City County.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said preliminary investigations indicate that the structure, which collapsed at about 4:30am, may have failed after being extended beyond the approved height, leading to overloading of the beams.

“Preliminary investigations have revealed that the building was approved for 12 floors by Nairobi City County Government, and the collapse may have been caused by an overload of the beams,” Mr Ruku said.

At least four people are still trapped under the rubble, according to the Cabinet Secretary, as a government-led, multi-agency rescue operation continues at the site.

The revelation that the building exceeded its approved height has renewed scrutiny of development approvals and enforcement mechanisms at City Hall, with leaders and residents questioning how additional floors were allowed to proceed unchecked.

Authorities say the approval documents and inspection records are now part of an ongoing investigation to establish who authorised or ignored the extra construction.

“The Government will take legal action against all those culpable of the violations that led to this collapse,” CS Ruku said.

He added that the action is meant to deter criminal dealings in the construction industry.

Rescue efforts are being conducted by the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police Service, National Disaster Operations Centre, National Youth Service, National Government Administration Officers, Kenya Red Cross Society, and Nairobi City County officials.

Mr Ruku who visited the scene on Friday afternoon, assured families of the trapped victims that the Government remains fully committed to the rescue mission.

“The Government will not rest until the four trapped Kenyans are recovered,” he said.

Engineers are also assessing neighbouring buildings to prevent further structural failures, as the area remains cordoned off.