Ikoyi building collapse: Experts canvass integrity tests for two 15-storey buildings on the site

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. 

“The tests should be carried out as conveniently as possible, but they should finish the excavation of the collapsed building,” Awobodu said. 

Another major issue, he said, was that people would be afraid to enter or live in the two 15-storey buildings based on what happened. 

“Assuming there is a way the government can do scanning of these two structures, that will help to restore people’s confidence,” he advised. 

A former president of the Association of Structural Engineers of Nigeria, Mr Ore Fadayomi, said the issue of integrity test was not just about taking equipment to the site, adding that there are other elements to be considered. 

“Integrity test is not only the element to confirm the integrity of a building. What about the design? A lot of things went wrong with the building,” he said. 

A former president of the Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN), Mr Bayo Adeola, said there were technical, administrative and procedural reasons why a building would collapse. Explaining the technical reasons, he pointed out that a building would collapse if the design is faulty. 

He said: “If there is a design error or construction error, the building will collapse,” adding that if the building collapses due to design error, the consulting engineer would be liable. 

“We don’t know whether there is a design error as we talk. When there is a construction error, there is a contractor, whether it is steel or cement, the contractor has a responsibility to make sure that the building is saved. When a building that is properly designed collapses, it is the contractor that is liable. Those are the technical reasons,” he said. 

On procedural reasons, he stated that if a quack is engaged as a designer, the design would be faulty. 

Meanwhile, as the state government and other non-state actors wrap up rescue effort at the site of the collapsed building, the victims’ families have besieged the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba, for the mandatory DNA test for the identification of corpses recovered from the wreckage. 

According to figures by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, Gbenga Omotoso, 15 people were rescued alive with various degrees of injury, while number of death recorded stood at 43 as of Monday, November 8. 

However, there was relative calm at the mortuary section of the IDH as relatives of deceased victims took turn to donate their blood samples for the mandatory DNA test, being part of the state government’s requirement for the identification of recovered corpses. 

Meanwhile, State House of Assembly has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to compensate families of the victims. 

The House, in a motion, also called on the governor to direct relevant agencies of government to ensure that all requirements for buildings as stipulated in extant laws of the State are strictly adhered to. 

Speaker of the House, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, said the collapse was an unfortunate development given the loss of lives. 

“We should exercise patience before passing comments concerning the incident until the findings of the committees looking into it unravel the cause,” the speaker said.

 

 

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