As rescue operation continues at the site of the collapsed 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi on Monday, built environment professionals are already calling on the state government to conduct integrity tests on the two 15-storey buildings still standing within the site.
The two 15-storey buildings under construction were being built by the owner of Fourscore Homes, Mr Femi Osibuna, who died in the collapsed 21-storey building last week. According to the experts, as a matter of urgency, the Lagos State government should compel relevant agencies and professional bodies to conduct integrity tests to ascertain the stability and fitness of the buildings for human habitation.
Apart from suspecting any error in the construction of the buildings, they are of the opinion that based on the manner in which the 21-storey building caved in, it must have impacted the two standing structures negatively.
As of 2:00 p.m. on Monday when Nigerian Tribune visited the site, rescue operations were still ongoing.
It was gathered that 44 dead bodies and 15 survivors had been recovered from the rubble of the building in the last one week.
Speaking with Nigerian Tribune, a former president of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr Kunle Awobodu, said it is natural to carry out integrity tests on the two 15-storey buildings under construction by the same owner.
“They should conduct integrity tests to confirm if the buildings are fit for human habitation. If the buildings fail integrity tests, they should be demolished,” he said.
Awobodu stated that one integrity test is enough for the building, saying there should be options one and two, meaning that the tests should be double-checked. (Tribune)