Barely 24 hours after Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu inspected and ordered the demolition of some buildings in Banana Island over defective structures, another three-storey building under construction collapsed on Sunday at Ladipo Oluwole Street, GRA, Apapa of the state.
It was gathered that the building caved in following a thunder strike during the early morning downpour in Lagos.
Director Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, who confirmed the incident, said there was no casualty but efforts to remove the rubble were ongoing.
A volunteer with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, Asimiyu Tiamiyu who was among the early callers at the scene said no casualty was recorded in the incident.
According to him, all the workers at the site of the collapsed building had embarked on Sallah break, the reason why no one was involved in the incident.
He noted that the state government must beam a searchlight on the recurring incident of collapsed buildings which had claimed many lives and property worth billions of Naira destroyed.
When contacted, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, said the evacuation operation was ongoing.
According to Oke-Osanyitolu, the agency received a report of partial collapse of a three-floor building at Plot 5996 (NOS 43B) along Ladipo Oluwole Street, Apapa Local Government Area, Lagos.
“The collapse of the frontal area of the second floor occurred early hours of this morning, 23rd April 2023.
“The property has been served the CN, STW & Seal Up Notices accordingly by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA.”
Speaking on this incident, a senior official of LABSCA who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the ill-fated building is an ongoing construction with a Provisional Development Permit of a two-floor structure.
“Construction is at third-floor roof level with block work completed (additional floor as against the Two floors Approved).
“The site is sealed and cordoned off.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has said that the contractor handling the collapsed building ignored the stop work and seal up orders of the Lagos State Building Control Agency and continued construction behind the scene.
A statement on Sunday by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State, Mukaila Sanusi, said the collapse incident, which was flagged on the Physical Planning incident management platform on Sunday evening, triggered immediate preliminary enquiries that showed that officers of the State’s Building Control Agency had issued a number of contravention notices, stop work and seal up orders which the developer ignored and carried on construction without any recourse, whatsoever, to the authorities.
“There has been no report of any casualty, while the site has been cordoned off and taken over by LASBCA
“This particular incident, like similar others, reinforces governments repeated calls for responsible behaviour on the part of all stakeholders in the built environment.
“Lagos State Government has immediately activated inquiries into the collapse to unravel the minute details and guide appropriate actions,” Sanusi said.