…All Threats to Lives, Properties, Environment, Now Eliminated DG LASEMA, Dr. Oke–Osanyintolu
In keeping with the pledge of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to Safeguard lives and properties of Lagosians, the partially self-collapsed two-storey building located at 7 Okunsanya Street off Shanuaje Street in Iju, outskirts of Lagos towards Ogun State has been completely demolished.
Process of Controlled Demolition of the said two-storey building by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, started with a distress call to the Command and Control Centre on Sunday 14th June, 2020 that the said building, located about 200 metres from Dana plane crash site at Toyin bus stop, lju-lshaga, self collapsed by half that Sunday afternoon.
Investigations by several relevant government agencies followed with the conduct of several integrity tests which result after due diligence and necessary approval, was followed by a controlled demolition of the said property that commenced in the wee hours of Tuesday at about 00:16hours to remove all threats to residents, surrounding properties and the entire environment.
The said 38year old two-storey building which took two scouting operations to locate at Toyin bus stop, lju- lshaga, had suffered apparent lack of maintenance and many years of neglect which led to it’s partial self collapse on Sunday as this much was corroborated by outcome of several tests conducted during Preliminary Investigations which showed that the building was distressed as previously red-marked by officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA.
The Preliminary Investigations also revealed that the said two-storey building which self collapsed partially from the rear when tested, “showed the structure was highly unstable and posed a high risk to the neighborhood”. A development that led to eviction of the remaining headstrong occupants of the affected building before it’s eventual removal Tuesday, 16th June, 2020 in a midnight operation through ‘Controlled Demolition’ as supervised by the Agency’s Director of Operations, Engineer Olatunde Akinsanya.
According to the DG/CEO of LASEMA Dr. Olufemi Oke–Osanyintolu, “this form of Controlled Demolition was chosen specifically for the operation due to prevailing circumstances”. This is in keeping with his promise in a previous statement that, “A Controlled Demolition will be carried out” such that eventual removal of the affected building to eliminate all dangers to human lives, will be conducted without any damage to the environment and surrounding properties despite the close knit construction of buildings in the area.
Preliminary Report on the incident and the controlled demolition of the two-storey building at the above location has it that, “The Agency’s officials received a distress call on Sunday 14th of June, 2020 via the Emergency Toll Free lines 767/112 at the Command and Control Centre concerning a distressed 2-storey building at the above mentioned location, that this led to activation of the the Lagos State Emergency Response Plan which mandates the Agency to investigate reported incidents.
“It was observed upon arrival of the Agency’s Disaster Response Team at the scene of incident, that the affected house was an old 2-storey building which lacked proper maintenance that led to it’s partial collapse at the rear.
Most of buildings’ occupants had been evicted before the partial collapse of the affected building, while outcome of the Post Disaster Assessment at the incident scene revealed that, there were about 22 rooms in the affected 2-Storey building.
“Consequent upon their arrival at the affected building and conduct of the Post Disaster Assessment, the Agency’s Officials subsequently evacuated the remaining occupants of the distressed building and executed the directives of the DG/CEO LASEMA, with the conduct of a Controlled Demolition was executed and the distressed building was brought down to ground zero at about 2a.m on Tuesday 16th June, 2020.
“No casualties, nor fatalities were recorded, in the LASEMA operation which involved the Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, RRS, Nigerian Police, LASEMA Fire Unit and LASAMBUS.
However, properties worth a fortune were destroyed due to the collapse”.
NOS∆ OKUNBOR
Head, Public Affairs-LASEMA
16th June, 2020
