Workers trapped as 21-storey building collapses in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The building was reportedly under construction when it went down at about 1:30 pm on Monday.

The team of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) is present at the scene making efforts to rescue the trapped workers.
The General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, says the owner of the collapsed 21-storey building, under construction in Ikoyi, was given approval to construct only 15 floors.

Mr Oki told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone that the owner of the property has been arrested and would face the law because people have died in the disaster.

“He got an approval for a 15-storey building and he exceeded his limit. I am on ground here and the materials he used are so inferior and terrible.

“The materials he used, the reinforcement, are so terrible. He got approval for 15 floors but built 21.

“I think he has been locked down. He has been arrested before now,” he said..
WATCH HOW THE BUILDING COLLAPSES AND PEOPLE RESCUE MANY TRAPPED
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmd01CVL73s

Ok

It gets really sad when you see things like this happening, you rarely see things like this in the western world were building codes/laws are been adhered to strictly. Disasters like this are avoidable but because of greed building collapse has become a norms in Nigeria. Every building has its structural standards that must be followed to the letter but you'll see engineers on site trying to go against specifications in order to cut costs and make more profits or clients on the order hand telling the engineers to minimize the use of materials so he can save more. Sometimes even when the engineers refuses to compromise on quality the client would tell him to go saying he's too expensive and look for one quack who's ready to do their bidding. It's even more sad that relevant agencies who are supposed to check these irregularities are given stipend and by so doing they forget about it and move on the next site.

I have left construction projects due to the fact that clients wants me to compromise in most cases. There was a project i was handling for a very popular church in 2016 it's an event centre, the structural drawings says a base of 4ft by 4ft is to be used with 16mm reinforcement bars. But these guys came saying using it as specificied will consume much money that they will want me to use 2ft by 2ft base with 12mm reinforcement bars as the columns. Well long story short i left the project as i told them i can't compromise the structural details as regards the building.

It's very important to maintain your integrity as Proffesionals so as not to stain yourself at the long run, forget about the money involved cos it's not worth other people's lives when the damage eventually occurs.

Money can't buy integrity. Rip to those that lost their lives...