The Lagos State Government has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a 21-storey building under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi.
This disclosure is contained in a statement issued by the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho.
The state government has also called for calm over the incident as 5 people have been reported to have been rescued alive with rescue operations still going on.
The Lagos Rescue Unit (LRU), Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) are on the site, battling to save the lives of those under the rubble as more people are believed to be trapped.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, visited the site in the company of other officials like the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako; Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Bamgbose- Martins and Special Adviser on Urban Development, Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba.
Others include Special Adviser, GIS and Physical Planning, Dr. Olajide Babatunde; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Abiola Kosegbe as well as General Manager, LASEMA Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu.
The statement pointed out that the Deputy Governor directed security agents to cordon off the site to facilitate rescue efforts adding that the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Arch. Gbolahan Oki, was also at the scene assessing the site for any likely damage to the surrounding structures.
The statement noted that the report of the investigations will be made public in due course.
In case you missed it
- Recall that on Monday, November 1, 2021, a 21-storey high-rise building located at 20 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State, collapsed with many people feared trapped under the rubble of the collapsed structure.
- However, LASBCA had earlier revealed that the collapsed 21-floors building under construction, skipped building standards as the owner was given approval to construct only 15 floors.
- Also, Prowess Engineering Limited, the company that started the construction of the Ikoyi collapsed building, had allegedly warned the owner of the facility of dangers ahead before yesterday’s unfortunate incident.
- The company was alleged to have withdrawn its services on grounds that it no longer shared the same vision with Fourscore Heights Limited, the owner of the collapsed building.