SYNAGOGUE: Structural defects not responsible for building collapse - Contractor

The contractor, who built the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations’ six-storey guest house, Mr. Akingbola Fatiregun, said during the coroner’s hearing yesterday that from his observation the building was brought down symmetrically as If it was guided.  He also said best practices were followed during the construction of the structure.

Fatiregun also added that though the foundation of the building was meant for a six-storey building, it was constructed in such a way that it could have conveniently supported four additional floors.

The contractor, whose company, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Limited, executed the project, therefore, he said he was shocked to learn that the building collapsed..

Fatiregun said, “On my visit to the site of the collapsed building, I observed that the pattern of the collapse was inconsistent with structural defect and suggested that the collapse could have been caused by other factors.

“Structural failures have peculiar ways of falling but this one was unusual. From my observation, the building came down symmetrically as if it was guided. The fall appeared as if a method of bringing down a building was applied.”

Buttressing his position, the contractor pointed out that during a joint post-collapse inspection of the debris by himself and the officials of the Ministry of Lands and Housing, he observed that the foundation of the building was still intact.

Taking the coroner through the construction process, the contractor said his company supplied the manpower and the equipment used while the SCOAN procured and supplied the building materials, such as sand, cement, quarry and reinforcement.

Fatiregun, however, testified that as the expert, his team ensured subjecting the materials to quality test and confirmed that the materials met the required standards.