LASBCA averts another building collapse in Ikotun
TWO days after 10 people were killed in the threestorey building, which collapsed at No 24, Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta area of Lagos, another collapse has been averted at Abaranje area of the state.
Lagos State Building Control Agency ( LASBCA) in a statement, said the calamity was averted in a distressed, fully occupied building at Adedeji Adebayo Street, Cele Bus Stop, Abaranje in Ikotun Local Council Development Area of the state.
Speaking on the development, the General Manager of LABSCA, Gbolahan Oki, said the agency took the action when residents of the area reported that the building, comprising of five flats and a warehouse, was on the verge of collapse, necessitating the immediate dispatch of officers to the site for an on- the- spot assessment.
Oki, an architect stated that officials of LASBCA discovered, on arrival at the scene, that the property owner was in the process of illegally converting the warehouse into a flat, despite the plumbing and sewage defects noticed at the building site.
“Cracks were visible on all sides of the defective building, while some columns had been removed in the course of the illegal remodelling work being carried out. The discoveries led to the quick evacuation of residents and the building was cordoned off”, Oki said.
Giving an assurance that the Agency will enforce its mandate by ensuring that cases of building collapse are nipped in the bud, Oki stated that regular monitoring and enforcement activities would continue across the state.
He advised property owners and developers to obtain all necessary permits, including authorisation, before the commencement of construction, renovation and remodelling of buildings to ensure safe and secure property.
He said: “The authorisation obtained from the Agency would enable LASBCA subject the structure to stage- bystage inspection and certification throughout the construction life cycle to ensure conformity and structural stability of the building.”
The General Manager, however, decried the use of quacks in major construction works, warning that all construction sites must have certified building professionals and failure to do so will attract sanctions as stipulated in the building laws of the state.
He urged Lagosians to continue to give maximum support to the Government by promptly reporting cases of distressed, non- conforming and illegal development in the state.