Timely intervention of responders and providence on Monday, averted a major tragedy in Lagos, when a three-floor structure partially collapsed at 4, Kola John Street, Aguda, Surulere area of the state.
The occupants of the affected building and adjoining one were inside and had to be quickly evacuated to prevent loss of lives due.
General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA), Gbolahan Oki, an architect, who confirmed this yesterday, said the three-floor structure (and pent floor) on closer inspection was found to be distressed.
According to him, it was observed that a section of the parapet wall/RC slab of the pent floor roof gutter had collapsed partially with the concrete/sandcrete blocks from the collapse damaging a major part of the roof coverings and ceilings of the bungalow building beside it.
Speaking further, Oki noted that on observation, it was discovered that the parapet wall above the third floor of the structure and burglary surrounding the parapet wall were also affected by the collapse, leaving the remains of the partial collapse still hanging.
He revealed that prior to the collapse, the owner had carried out illegal renovations, adding attachments to it without recourse to the Agency to monitor the process, hence the collapse.
While thanking God that no life was lost, the General Manager said the agency has already commenced the total removal of the structure as leaving it would be inimical to the safety of the residents in the area.
He appealed to owners and developers of existing buildings to appraise the stability of their buildings by conducting Non Destructive Tests (NDT) at the State Material Testing Laboratory. This, he said, would reduce the incidences of building collapse in Lagos.
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