TheNewsGuru

Tag: building collapse

  • Building Collapse: LASBCA warns residents against illegal conversion of buildings

    Building Collapse: LASBCA warns residents against illegal conversion of buildings

    In a bid to stem the recurrence of building collapse, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) on Tuesday warned residents to desist from converting buildings from the original plan to suit their purpose.

    Mr Olalekan Shodehinde, the General Manager, LASBCA, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Shodehinde said that most buildings in the state had been illegally converted to purposes different from their initial purpose.

    According to him, it is outright illegal to change the purpose of a building without obtaining approval permit for conversion from the government.

    He said it was also illegal to attempt to change a residential building to a commercial building within an area still zoned residential.

    He explained that the government allows for conversion of buildings provided it conforms with master plan of the area.

    “An approval permit must have been applied for and granted before such conversion can be performed.

    “The Lagos State Government periodically reviews the master plan of the city. Therefore, whatever change one wants to make on his/her building must conform with the subsisting master plan of the area.

    “What is unacceptable is to use a building in an area for a purpose different from the government designated purpose for that area.

    “So, if you want to change the purpose of your building, all you need do is to follow the due process and apply for ‘a change of use permit’ and once granted, you are free to do the conversion,’’ Shodehinde said.

    He said that to obtain a building approval permit was not as expensive as presumed by most residents of the state.

    He appealed to every owner/developer in the state whose property was not covered by a valid building approval plan to regularise the property and ascertain the structural stability of their building.

    Shodehinde lamented that most of the structures within the state were built without the requisite approval plan or due regularisation with the agency.

    He said that most of the buildings did not conform to building specifications and standard.

    “To obtain building plan approval is not as expensive as most people think. It takes only 28 working days for an applicant to get the building approval plan.

    “The parameters for determining the payable amount depends on the size of the building or the purpose for which the building will be used.

    “An average size of building on a plot of land will cost a maximum of N250,000 to N300,000 to obtain its approval plan.

    “If compared to the whole cost of constructing the building, which might cost about N50 million to N60 million, it is infinitesimal.

    “So, I don’t think paying N300,000 will deter people from following the due process,’’ Shodehinde he said.

  • BREAKING: Another building collapses in Lagos Island

    BREAKING: Another building collapses in Lagos Island

    A three-storey building has reportedly collapsed in Kakawa street, Lagos Island on Monday.

    According to a resident of the street, no one was trapped because the building was marked for demolition and occupants had vacated.

    The collapsed structure, however, affected a bungalow with three occupants.

    Details soon…

  • Aftermath of building collapse: Lagos demolishes 13 defective buildings

    Aftermath of building collapse: Lagos demolishes 13 defective buildings

    Five more structurally defective Lagos Island buildings were yesterday brought down by the Lagos State Government.

    This brings the number of demolished buildings to 13 since Friday when the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) started the exercise to prevent another disaster after Wednesday’s incident on Massey Street, Ita-Faji, Lagos Island. Twenty people were killed; forty-five others were injured when the four-storey building collapsed. Most of the dead were children.

    Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Prince Rotimi Ogunleye described the exercise as a holistic response to the challenges posed by derelict structures and unapproved schools.

    LASBCA Acting General Manager Tayo Fakuloju and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development Permanent Secretary Mrs Boladele Dapo-Thomas led the team that carried out the demolition.

    The houses pulled down yesterday were 25, Elegbata Street, Apongbon, 199, Tokunbo Street, 27, Inabiri Street, 16, Egatin Street and 45, John Street – all on Lagos Island.

    They joined eight others demolished on Friday and Saturday – 60, Freeman, 47 Smith, 16, Apatira, 28, Apatira, 39 Alli, 21, Okediji, 34 Seriki and 33 Ojo Giwa streets.

    The government, Fakuloju said, has taken over the collapsed Massey Street building.

    Mrs Dapo-Thomas said the government will not rest on its oars until “we have sanitise the whole Island and Lagos metropolis of distressed and dilapidated buildings and stem the era of building collapse in the state.”

    She said that the fate of sealed 34, Beckley Street will be determined soon.

    Ogunleye, in a statement advised landlords and developers, whose structures have been marked for demolition to pull them down or risk forfeiting them.

    Commiserating with the bereaved families, he solicited the cooperation of the public to rid the state of distressed buildings.

    According to him, the ministry had identified 149 distressed and defective buildings, of which 40 have been demolished.

    He said 38 others were slated for demolition before Wednesday’s unfortunate incident.

    “In some instances where the owners and occupiers were served with notices and evacuated, people secretly returned to re-occupy the buildings despite the sealing off of the structures by the LASBCA,” he said.

    Ogunleye said that LASBCA would step up the ongoing demolition of the affected buildings, adding that all parts of the state would be reached.

    He warned that the government will invoke Section 74 of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law on forfeiture against any owner or developer whose negligence leads to building collapse.

    The Medical Director of the Lagos Island General Hospital, Dr Ismail Ganikale, yesterday said more survivors had been discharged.

    According to him, seven children and two adults are left in the hospital.

    “On Friday, we had 13 patients (10 children and three adults). Four were discharged yesterday (Saturday). We have nine left. We will wait for our consultants tomorrow (today) to determine the fate of others,” Ganikale said.

  • Why building collapse persists – NSE

    Why building collapse persists – NSE

    Adedamola Falade-Fatila, the Chairman of the Ibadan branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has hinged the rising cases of building collapse on quackery and compromise in standards.

    Falade-Fatila, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Saturday, was reacting to the collapse of a building in Ibadan barely 72 hours after a similar incident in Lagos.

    He said: “If every client, builder or developer consults a registered engineer to design their structures, we won’t find ourselves in this situation.

    “This is purely the result of quackery and compromises in materials, skilled labour and so on.

    “ It is as they say in computer, garbage in, garbage out, what you put in is what you get.

    “If you put in expertise, quality and professionalism, you will get a solid structure that will stand out and stand the test of time.

    “The one that collapsed in Ibadan is still under construction and it gave way; that tells you that something is wrong some where.”

    He said the association had been engaged in sensitisation programmes to encourage the use of engineers for projects.

    “If you have a structure that is above two floors, get a registered structural engineer, and if it is not up to that, get a registered engineer to do your design for you.

    “In doing that, the engineer will give you advice and supervise your project so that there would be no compromise by the time the structure is being put up.

    “If you meet anyone who claims to be an engineer, ask for his proof; in the age we are now, it is easy to know a registered engineer.

    “You can check on the internet; registered engineers have their names compiled by the Council for the Regulation of the Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

    “Google COREN and check the person’s status by typing in his or her name; if the person is truly registered, you will find his or her name and address there.

    “Anyone who claims to be an engineer and his name is not in the database of NSE and COREN is a quack,’’ he said.

  • BREAKING: Another Building Collapses In Ibadan

    BREAKING: Another Building Collapses In Ibadan

    Barely two days after a three-storeyed building collapsed in Lagos State, killing 20 people, another building has collapsed at the Bode are of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    According to reports reaching TNG, people are trapped and are still making phone calls under the rubbles, but there is no equipment to rescue them.

    Details later….

  • Breaking: 11 trapped as three storey building collapse in Anambra

    No fewer than 11 persons were trapped under a three storey building which collapsed in Nnewi, Anambra in the early hours of Thursday.
    The building was located in Okpuno, Otolo, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state.
    According to SP Mohammed Haruna, Police Public Relations Officers (PPRO) who confirmed the incident, said the building belong to one Collins Avoyi.
    Haruna said nine of the trapped persons have been rescued and taken to hospital while effort was on to get the remaining two out of the rubbles.
    He said the trapped workers included foreign masons from the Republic of Togo.
    “A three storey building belonging to one Mr Avoyi Collins ‘m’ collapsed at Okpuno Otolo in Nnewi North LGA of Anambra.
    “Police Patrol rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent looters from taking advantage of the situation to steal.
    “So far, nine of them were rescued alive from the collapsed building while efforts are ongoing to rescue two others who are still trapped inside the debris.
    “Meanwhile, the rescued victims were rushed to the Community Health Center, Okpuno for medical attention and investigation is ongoing to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
     

  • LASG insists on zero building collapse

    The Lagos State Government has insisted that all block moulding industries across the State must comply with the existing standard for their operations, saying that the industry remains a critical partner in its vision zero for building collapse.

    The General Manager of LSMTL, Engineer Olalekan Ajani stated this while speaking at the annual conference of National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON) held recently at the Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese Ogun State, stressing that the State Government is ready to partner with the Association to sanitise the industry.

    He said the State Government was poised to ensure total sanity in all construction works and had been working assiduously towards actualising its vision of zero tolerance to building and civil engineering infrastructure collapse in partnership with all the relevant stakeholders.

    The General Manager urged the block manufacturers not to compromise standards but conform to specifications already given by Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), assuring that LSMTL will continue to monitor and enforce the standards stipulated by the various regulatory bodies.

    Ajani further emphasised the need for all members of the Association to ensure that the blocks manufactured are tested and certified by the Agency, noting that government and the Association alongside other stakeholders have critical roles to play getting rid of quacks in the block moulding industry and averting building collapse.

    The National President of NABMON, Mr. Rashidi Adebowale, speaking at the event, also appealed to the members to comport themselves as an indivisible entity under the Association, urging them to comply with the quality assurance standards of Materials Testing Laboratories in their respective States.

     

  • Building collapse: NSE blames agencies, contractors

    Building collapse: NSE blames agencies, contractors

    The Imo chapter of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has blamed regulatory agencies and Owerri Capital Development Agency (OCDA) for incessant building collapse in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that two three storey buildings under construction collapsed at Obinze and Umuguma, both in Owerri West Local Government Area, on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

    The Chairman of NSE in the state, Mr Emeka Ugoanyawu, said shortly after visiting the scenes, blamed contractors for not engaging professional engineers in most building constructions.

    Ugoanyawu said that people in the state were known for engaging non-professionals for building projects.

    He said NSE would probe incessant building collapse in the state and urged security agencies to ensure the immediate clearing of the rubble at the sites to either recover corpses or save lives.

    The chairman said that NSE would sanction any engineer directly involved in any of the two buildings.

    Also, the NSE Secretary, Mr Ebere Ononiwu, blamed OCDA for not supervising buildings in the state.

    He said “OCDA is a government organisation vested with the powers to approve and regulate building but they have fallen short of the standard.

    “How can OCDA approve a building for construction but will never supervise the building until it is completed?”

    Ononiwu also accused the agency of not having qualified engineers to conduct building inspections and that the gap had given rise to quackery in the industry.

    “This is the major reason why quacks have taken over the job of professional engineers and if the situation is not urgently addressed, everybody will be exposed to serious danger,” he said.

    A member of the International Federation of Consultant Engineers, Mr Emmanuel Obiakor, said there was no guarantee for any building handled by a quack.

    “I can tell you that no professional engineer has a stake in these two collapsed buildings,” Obiakor said.

    He said that the popular practice in Imo was engaging quacks and non-professionals for building projects, which was counterproductive.

    “It is cheaper for clients to consult professionals to handle their job than using quacks,” Obiakor said.

     

     

    NAN

  • UPDATE: 3-Storey building collapses in Lagos, 2 dead, 14 rescued

    Another three-storey building on Lagos Island collapsed on Monday morning with two people confirmed dead and 14 others rescued.

    This is the fourth building to have collapsed in Lagos in less than months.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that the collapsed three-storey building was being renovated with people inside when it caved in.

    Rescue operation is still ongoing as emergency responders are working frantically to rescue trapped victims in the building located at Daddy Alhaja Street, Oke Arin, Lagos Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

    General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu told PM News that 14 people had so far been rescued alive.

    He confirmed that two people had so far died in the collapsed building while rescue operation continued to rescue other trapped victims.

    Last week, a two-storey building collapsed at Cole Street Ebute Metta with a woman injured.

    Three weeks ago, a three-storey building collapsed at Ilasamaja area of the state, with four people dead.

    Over a month ago, a two storey building under construction collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, killing two people.

  • Just in: Many feared dead as three-storey building collapses in Lagos

    As residents of Lagos State marked the 2017 democracy day, tragedy struck in the early hours when a building collapsed with scores feared trapped.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that the building located on Daddy Alhaja Street, Oke-Arin, Lagos Island axis of the state, collapsed at about 9 am when the traders were arriving the market to commence the days activities.

    Confirming the collapsed building, Director of the Lagos State fire service, Rasak Fadipe, said that the building caved in, saying, “We have commenced rescue operations at the site.”

    According to an eye witnesses account, some occupants, including children, might have died instantly after the building collapsed.

    However, two persons – a male and female adult – have been rescued and taken to the hospital immediately.

    See photos