The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has disclosed that there was a partial building collapse at 6, Olonode Street, Alagomeji-Yaba, Lagos, in the early hours of Monday due to the heavy rainfall in the area.
Speaking on the incident, the General Manager of LASBCA, Engr. Biola Kosegbe said the collapsed building was a 3-floor structure and had previously been identified, sealed and marked for demolition, while all occupants had been evacuated by the Agency before the unfortunate incident.
According to her, “The structure, which had hitherto failed the integrity test carried out by the Agency, had been earmarked for removal by LASBCA. But due to the recent incident, the Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has commenced the immediate demolition of the building to prevent any loss of lives”.
Kosegbe emphasised that with the raining season upon us, owners of old buildings in the State should, as a matter of urgency, ascertain the level of structural stability of their property to avert collapse, stressing that statistics have shown high incidence of building collapse during this period.
She maintained that the present administration will leave no stone unturned in sanitising the building construction industry removing all illegal or distressed buildings, as well as structures that are not in conformity with the State building laws, regulations and standards.
The General Manager also reiterated that the Agency is committed to ensuring that all building owners/developers across the metropolis comply strictly with all regulations and safety precautions, in order to prevent or reduce the occurrence of building collapse in the State.