How FourScore altered design of Ikoyi collapsed building,’ Engineer tells Lagos panel

A structural engineer, Murtala Olawale, on Wednesday told the Lagos State panel of inquiry on the collapsed 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of the state how the owner of the edifice, FourScore Heights Limited, altered its design.

The panel began its inquest into the building collapse which killed 46 people last month on Wednesday.

Olawale, Managing Director of Prowess Engineering, told the counsel to the Lagos State government, Mr. Akin George, that Fourscore altered the original four-storey building plan to 21-storey.

He added that the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Limited, late Femi Osibona, had in November 2018 briefed his team that he wanted to build four-storey buildings of three blocks at Gerard Road in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The witness revealed that during work on the building design, Osibona reversed the brief to three blocks of 14-floors (ground plus 13 suspended floors).

Questioning the witness, George said: “In paragraph 20 of your Witness Statement on Oath, you said and I quote ‘Construction works on the three blocks commenced simultaneously with piling works.

“On conclusion of the piling works, Pile Integrity Test (PIT) carried out on the piles showed failure in 23 of the piles installed and we recommended that the failed piles be replaced.’

READ ALSO: Lagos govt directs families of Ikoyi building collapse victims to identify bodies in hospital

“Mr. Olawale, which of the blocks were you complaining about.”

Responding, the engineer said: “My complaint was on Block B, the collapsed building.”

“Osibona requested that Block B be re-designed to 18 floors (ground plus 17 suspended floors) and his team received a reversed architectural drawing.

“When we redesigned the building to 18-floors, I was told by Osibona that he took the design to the government for approval but I did not see the approval.

“The architects of the building site were Urban Prime Architects.”

The Coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, adjourned proceedings until Thursday

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