Uncertain fate now hangs around the residents of Lagos Island, a largely slum and densely populated residential cum commercial area of Lagos, where building collapse has become a recurring decimal, with two recorded within two weeks.
After the March 13 three-story building collapse on Massey Street, Ita-Faji, Lagos Island, in which 20 died and about 45 injured, another building at No.50 Kakawa Street, came down on Monday, by 1: 10pm, however, without any casualty.
Residents say it is hard to tell with precision they would live to see the next day, as they’re no longer sure which building comes down when. As their fears deepen, the state government has issued a directive to occupants of marked buildings to relocate to relief and resettlement centres in Alimosho area of the state.
The government last week confirmed the discovery of 149 buildings in distressed and defective state in across the state, out of which 48 are on Lagos Island alone. While some of the distressed buildings were said to have been built four to five decades ago, and have over the years become weak from their foundation, others identified to structurally defective, are generally linked to the engagement of non professionals in their construction.
Adebowale Adeyanju, a resident in one of clustered houses on Lagos Island, with poor ventilation, told BusinessDay on Monday, after another building caved in on Kakawa Street, that he was in confused state, and not certain what to expect at any given moment.
We’re all so uncertain what to expect. Every day feels like the next day will come. My family and I go to bed every night praying we wake to see the breaking of the new day. The fear of possible collapse of a building makes me sick,” said Adeyanju.
Another resident, Samuel Itolo said he has begun search for a new accommodation to move his family out of the Lagos Island. “The latest collapse is enough signal that we’re safe on Lagos Island.
The government said yesterday that the collapsed building at 50, Kakawa Street, Campos, Lagos Island had been marked distressed and occupants moved out.
“The building in question had been identified as distressed by the officers of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and all the necessary statutory notices had been duly served. It was one of the defective structures marked for removal by the agency. Fortunately, occupants had been evacuated before the incidents occurred,” said Rotimi Ogunleye, Lagos State commissioner for physical planning and urban development.
He added that rescue team and LASBCA officials were immediately alerted moved to site to check adjoining buildings and evacuate occupants to avoid any further hazards.
JOSHUA BASSEY
