FG explains the cause of Ita-Faji building collapse

An inter-ministerial committee set up by the Federal Government to look into the cause of the recent collapse of a three-story building at No 14, Massey Street, Ita-Faji on Lagos Island in March has concluded its investigation.

According to Punch, the committee has identified Sandy soil, shallow foundation, weak concrete mix and overloading as some of the factors that might have caused the collapse.

The committee chaired by the Acting Chairman, Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Prof Samson Duna, in a presentation submitted to the Minister of Science and Technology in Abuja on Friday, May 3, 2019, listed low average comprehensive strength in the reinforced concrete as one of the causative factors, Punch reports.

Duna stated in the reports that : “The committee is of the opinion that the structure (at Ita-Faji) might have collapsed as a result of the following: the sandy nature of the soil with low bearing capacity, shallow foundation, weak concrete mix, low average comprehensive strength in the reinforced concrete and the overloading of the building resting on a small area by converting the second floor into a school.”

Based on the laboratory test conducted by Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), the reports noted that the average strength for the reinforced concrete elements were below minimum designed strength.

Recall that On March 13, 2019, the three-story building that housed a primary school at the topmost floor collapsed and caused the death of 20 people while leaving many others injured.