Nairobi (Alshahid)-A blast ripped through a small shopping complex in central Nairobi Monday and left several people wounded but the cause of the explosion was not immediately known.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere said at least 16 people were wounded.

“Let me not speculate this is a terrorist attack. It could be a wire fault,” said Orwa Ojode, assistance minister for internal security.

A military helicopter hovered in the skies above downtown Nairobi and the security forces cordoned off nearby streets.

Medics applied bandages to the walking wounded gathered by nearby buildings and some bystanders wailed in shock. Clothing, shoes and blown out windows littered the road.

The Kenyan Red Cross said a disaster response team had been sent to the blast on the central Moi Avenue in the commercial heart of Nairobi. An emergency medical centre was set up close to the blast site.

The blast was powerful enough to rip the tin roof off the building and smash windows across the street.