Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered stoppage of all ongoing building constructions on Banana Island following collapse of seven-storey building on the Island on Wednesday.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement on Thursday, said the governor had directed that all developments on Banana Island be placed on hold, subject to a comprehensive audit by the officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).
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The audit, he said, is to determine how many buildings were being constructed without approval from the Lagos State Government and to know if all approved buildings were being built in line with the approval limits provided.
He said this exercise would be extended to other estates and gated communities.
The commissioner also said the government had launched a probe into the collapse of a seven-storey building under construction on Banana Island, Ikoyi, following a directive by Sanwo-Olu.
He said nobody died in the incident, which occurred on Wednesday, saying that 25 people were rescued from the site.
Omotoso said;
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) scanned the building with a high-precision 3-D Laser Imagery System for life and found no evidence of anyone trapped in the rubble. A roll call has also been done by the site supervisors, with everyone accounted for.
Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has continued with the excavation of the site, using the architectural designs. The site has also been divided into quadrants for a painstaking search and rescue operation.
Presently, quadrants 2 and 3 have been levelled to ground zero, having completed the search operation. Quadrants 1 and 4 are ongoing.
Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner Bamgbose-Martins, an engineer and Special Duties Special Adviser Mobolaji Ogunlende, are coordinating the operations. LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu is leading the operations.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi has visited the site and hospitals where victims of the incident were admitted.
The commissioner added;
Of the 25 persons rescued by LASEMA, 16 with moderate injuries were admitted at General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island and Police Hospital Falomo for treatment and care. Nine others with minor injuries, such as bruises, were treated and discharged at the site by Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).
Of the 16 persons on admission, 11 were taken to Police Hospital Falomo. Eight of the 11 persons have been treated and discharged. Some are required to come for daily follow-up and management. Three with various injuries, including blunt traumatic chest injury, knee injuries, deep lacerations and others, are on admission.
At the General Hospital Odan, Lagos Island, there are five patients with more serious injuries.
The State Government, as a matter of policy, will be responsible for the emergency treatment and care, including the medical bills of the victims on admission. It will also provide post-trauma counselling support and care for all victims through the Lagos MiND programme (Mental Health in Development) – a free mental health counselling and support service provided by the Ministry of Health.
Omotoso said preliminary investigations had shown that the incident occurred during concrete casting, saying that eyewitnesses said one of the concrete mixer trucks rammed into some load-bearing columns of the building, causing a loud bang and leading to the collapse.
He said the building was hitherto sealed by the Lagos State Government for not having the approval to commence construction, but that the developers continued to build, hiding under the security of their estate/gated community.
