How Excel College’s 3-Storey Building Collapsed

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

It was a tragic Saturday morning today in Ejigbo area of Lagos after a three-storey building belonging to the popular Excel College located at No. 15 Ansarudeen Street, Ile-Epo Bus Stop, Ejigbo, collapsed and properties inside the building were destroyed in the process.

P.M.EXPRESS confirmed that no life was lost but the properties inside the building were completely destroyed. The residents expressed shock but thanked God that students have not resumed classes in the school.

According to the residents, the collapsed building may have illegally been attached to the main building and was poorly constructed which may have led to its collapse.

P.M.EXPRESS was yet to confirm which agency actually gave approval for the construction of the building without proof of its integrity test from those in charge of building in Lagos State.

However, the State Government through its agency, LASBCA has shut the school after the building collapsed and have commenced investigation over the incident.

The Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who arrived at the incident scene, confirmed that a 3-Storey building (Excel College) had collapsed.
He explained that the distress calls received by his agency established that the building collapsed at about 8:15am and his team promptly moved in to secure the area for investigation.
There was no official statement from the School Management over what happened as those met at the scene were not ready to disclosed anything on the likely cause of the collapse.

However, unofficial sources around the school revealed that the building had previously shown signs of distress and the school was planning to renovate and refortify the structure.
The three-storey building has two wings conjoined, the wing that collapsed has seriously affected the second wing as visible cracks can be seen on the walls, pillars and decking, which indicated that it may also collapse anytime.
“Fortunately, nobody was trapped, no injuries and no fatality recorded” one of the official said.

When P.M.EXPRESS correspondent visited the scene, Police operatives from Ejigbo Division were on standby with their patrol vehicles while officials of LASEMA, LASBCA, RSS were all there coordinating and controlling the area to avoid further disaster.