The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to demolish buildings that fail its integrity test, following a fire outbreak at Dosunmu Market on Lagos Island.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this known after assessing the damage caused by the fire, which resulted in the collapse of 14 buildings near the market.
Sanwo-Olu expressed concern over the incident, stating that many residential apartments had been illegally converted to warehouses, posing a significant risk to safety.
He emphasized the need for strict enforcement of building regulations, stating that more buildings could collapse as a result of the fire.
The governor also expressed disappointment over the delayed response of first responders to the fire, noting that access was denied for several hours.
Sanwo-Olu announced the indefinite closure of Dosunmu Market and pledged government assistance to affected traders.
He warned that any property found to be in violation of construction regulations would be demolished, as the government cannot allow individuals to endanger lives and property.
Despite the support promised to affected traders, Sanwo-Olu lamented the need to allocate scarce resources to address preventable accidents, calling for more proactive measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
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