The Lagos State Building Control Agency on Saturday evacuated occupants of a distressed residential building at Akinyele Bus Stop in Abesan Estate the agency also commenced the demolition of the property after structural experts declared it unsafe for human habitation.
This followed a distress call from a concerned resident who alerted the agency through its toll-free line after noticing visible signs of structural failure and fearing an imminent collapse that could endanger occupants and neighbouring residents.
Speaking during the exercise, the General Manager of LASBCA, Gbaye Florence, said the agency acted swiftly to eliminate the danger and safeguard residents.
She said a team of structural engineers and enforcement officers was immediately deployed to inspect the building, where they confirmed critical structural defects that posed an immediate threat to lives and property.
Following the assessment, the agency ordered the immediate evacuation of all occupants before commencing the controlled demolition of the building to prevent a possible collapse.
“The agency remains committed to ensuring that unsafe buildings do not constitute a threat to residents across Lagos State. Once we received the report, our officials moved to the site to assess the situation, and the inspection confirmed that the building had suffered critical structural defects that made it unsafe for habitation.
“Following that assessment, all occupants were immediately evacuated from the building to prevent any loss of life, while the controlled demolition of the distressed structure commenced in line with our statutory responsibility to safeguard lives and property,” she said.
Florence commended the resident whose timely report enabled the agency to intervene before the situation deteriorated.
“I want to commend the concerned citizen who promptly alerted the agency through our toll-free line. That timely report enabled us to intervene before the situation deteriorated further and helped prevent what could have resulted in a tragic incident,” she added.
She urged residents to promptly report distressed, abandoned or visibly defective buildings, stressing that public vigilance remains critical to preventing building collapses across the state.
“We encourage members of the public to always report distressed, abandoned or visibly defective buildings to LASBCA. Public cooperation is vital in our efforts to prevent building collapse and protect lives and property.
“The agency will continue to monitor buildings across the state, enforce compliance with building safety regulations and respond promptly to distress reports in the interest of public safety,” Florence said.
The agency also appealed to residents to report suspected distressed buildings and other building safety concerns through its toll-free line, 07000-527222 (07000-LASBCA), to enable prompt intervention and protect lives.
