In a letter to the governor, the group raised an alarm over some of the construction methods adopted in the Maryland part of Lagos.
The body said the buildings are substandard, causing them to sink and tilt.
It lamented that the collapse was avoidable and should not be condoned.
BCPGKC stated that it was emotionally pained by the incident, considering that government officials had been monitoring construction in the estate, complementing its relentless advocacy against building collapse.
The group also raised concerns that other occupied buildings in the vicinity have visibly tilted walls and columns, which should be inspected immediately by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) to prevent another potential collapse.
In the letter dated July 29 and signed by the coordinator of BCPG Kosofe Cell, Soji Adeniji, and the secretary, Fatai Balogun, respectively, the group called for an urgent investigation of the collapsed building, saying it would help prevent a recurrence.
It said the existence of wetlands within the Kosofe Local Council Area, due to its nearness to the Lagoon, has been a difficult challenge to physical development. Therefore, any building that would stand the test of time in the weak terrain must have a special foundation, especially a pile foundation.
The group said it has consistently advocated the necessity of thorough geotechnical investigations, given the challenging soil conditions in its jurisdiction.
The letter reads in part: “We have repeatedly emphasised the importance of conducting proper soil investigations before selecting foundation types and ensuring that building developers adhere to established standards during construction, as highlighted in our seminars and workshops.
“Following our visit to the collapsed building site, we made some observations that raised several critical concerns, warranting investigation by the state government to establish the actual cause(s) of this particular collapse and recalibrate the integrity of the construction sector.
“The building was reportedly at the finishing stage when it collapsed, with damaged roof members and plumbing materials observed. However, the newly constructed pile caps on-site raise questions about the construction practice employed.
“At this juncture, it is essential to question the stage of new piles and pile caps constructed, the methodology employed in the construction of the new piles if they were indeed newly built, the last stage of certification conducted by LABSCA and the timeline for the construction activities, precisely the commencement date, the dates of installing the new piles and concreting pile caps, and the time of the collapse.
“While we await investigation into the questions, in addition to the questions raised, we request the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to take action and consider Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of Adjoining Buildings. Conduct NDT on all visibly tilting buildings within the estate, particularly around the collapsed building site, to prevent further incidents, as signs of distress have been observed.”
