************************************************************
The Buildings Department (BD) today (June 10) expressed great concern about the collapse of a canopy at Winfield Industrial Building at 3 Kin Kwan Street, Tuen Mun, last night (June 9). One person was injured in the incident. Starting from Saturday (June 11), the BD will embark on a territory-wide inspection of some 4 000 buildings with cantilevered slab canopies. It is anticipated that the whole exercise will take six weeks to complete.
The occupation permit for Winfield Industrial Building was issued on November 2, 1979. According to the approved plans of this building, it is composed of 13 storeys (including G/F and 1/F to 12/F). A 1.5m-wide cantilevered slab canopy was built around the building at the 1/F level facing Kin Kwan Street and Kin Wing Street. The collapse mainly involved the part of the canopy, which was about 40m long, facing Kin Kwan Street.
The BD deployed staff to the site immediately after the incident and conducted an inspection of the structure of the building. The inspection results revealed that loose parts existed at the spot where the canopy collapsed. The loose parts could have fallen and posed a danger to the public. A government contractor was called at once to clear those loose parts overnight. The structure of the building was confirmed safe after inspection by BD staff.
BD staff and the Government contractor are still continuing with emergency works at the site, including clearance of the remaining parts of the canopy that may pose potential danger, and are carrying out strengthening works such as the erection of props underneath the remaining canopy. The emergency works would continue for about one week.
Meanwhile, the BD has commenced investigation into the cause of the incident. The investigation includes site inspection, examination and testing of samples from the site, review of the building records, interviews with the relevant parties and study of the witness statements. It is anticipated that the investigation work will complete in about one month's time.
Winfield Industrial Building was one of the target buildings of the BD's large-scale operation on the removal of unauthorised building works (UBWs) on external walls (the operation). The aim of the operation was to remove all actionable items projecting from the external walls of the whole building in one go. More than 30 removal orders were issued in the operation in 2001. All removal orders except one were complied with. The outstanding order was related to the removal of some UBWs on the flat roof at the 1/F level facing Kin Wing Lane. The BD has commenced prosecution procedures against the owner. After examination, the BD confirmed that the UBWs on the flat roof had no connection to the collapse of the canopy.
Ends/Friday, June 10, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:12
NNNN
