Death of 22: Substandard materials responsible for school building collapse in Jos, says investigators

The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has established substandard materials and poor construction work being responsible of the building collapse at the Saint Academy Jos, where number of students were killed.

Penpushing reports that the Director General of Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) Samson Duna, made this known during a press conference explaining that the incident prompted the institute to constitute a committee headed by Prof Fredrick Job of the University of Jos, to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the building collapse.

The Director General added that the committee’s preliminary investigation revealed that the collapsed structure was already distressed, stating that the committee also discovered that the quantity of concrete was in doubt.

‘The committee discovered that the quantity of concrete was in doubt because there was no bond between the concrete and the steel reinforcement. The slab reinforcement anchorage provided was inadequate, and the sizes of the footing (foundation) provided were less than the required number of 1200 mm x 1200 mm’, he said.

Penpushing also reports that Duna said committee was approved by the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, and the mandate was to uncover the causes and identify those responsible for the defect in the structure.

The Director General explained that the committee’s preliminary report was based on the evidences gathered through interviews with eye witnesses and experts, adding that the committee’s further findings would be crucial toward averting building collapse in future.

Penpushing reports that the Director General assured Nigerians that the institute will leave no stone unturned toward ensuring that those responsible for the collapse of the school building were brought to book.

Meanwhile, it is recalled that last Friday, at about 8:30 a.m., a two storey-building collapsed at the school, located at Busa-Buji community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, which led to the death of 22 persons and 132 others severely injured.

FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or   event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email [email protected]