By Olasunkanmi Akoni
LAGOS — The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has commenced the evacuation of occupants and the controlled demolition of a distressed building at Akinyele Bus Stop, Abesan Estate, after the structure was found to pose an imminent danger to lives and property.
The emergency intervention followed a report by a resident through LASBCA’s toll-free line, alerting the agency to visible signs of severe structural defects in the building.
According to LASBCA, a team of structural experts and enforcement officers was immediately deployed to the site to assess the building.
The agency said the inspection confirmed that the structure had suffered critical structural defects.
“Following the assessment, LASBCA immediately evacuated all occupants from the building to prevent any loss of life and commenced the controlled demolition of the distressed structure in line with its statutory mandate to safeguard public safety,” the agency said.
Speaking on the exercise, the General Manager of LASBCA, Bldr. Gbaye Florence, said the agency remained committed to ensuring that unsafe buildings do not pose a threat to residents across the state.
She commended the resident who reported the distressed building, noting that the timely alert helped avert what could have been a tragic incident.
Gbaye urged residents to report distressed, abandoned or visibly defective buildings to the agency, stressing that public cooperation remained vital in preventing building collapse and protecting lives and property.
She assured residents that LASBCA would continue to monitor buildings across the state, enforce compliance with building safety regulations and respond promptly to reports of distressed structures in the interest of public safety.
The agency also appealed to members of the public to report suspected distressed buildings and other building safety concerns through its toll-free line for immediate attention.
