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The Buildings Department (BD) is investigating the collapse of a portion of Block 4 of the Central Police Station (CPS) Compound last evening (May 29).
The BD received a notification from the Fire Services Department at around 10.30pm yesterday about the collapse. The BD officers attended the scene immediately and found that parts of the roof and parts of the first and second floor of the building had collapsed. The affected floor area measures about eight metres by 10 metres. The concerned building has been closed for further investigation, clearing-up and temporary propping and strengthening.
A registered specialist contractor (demolition) has been appointed for removal of the dangerous loose building elements after the collapse and a remedial proposal will be submitted to the BD. As the clearance and strengthening works are still being carried out, BD staff have yet to gain access for detailed inspection to the collapsed parts of the building.
Prior to the incident, approved structural strengthening works were being carried to the building. The registered structural engineer (RSE) of the project has proposed to install temporary support and propping as safety precautionary measures to ensure stability of the building for detailed investigation and for re-opening up of Arbuthnot Road. The temporary propping works will commence soonest possible.
Inspections are being carried out by BD staff to other buildings in the CPS Compound to ascertain their overall structural safety conditions. Approved structural strengthening works to the adjacent Blocks 6 and 7 which are of similar construction have already been carried out.
The CPS compound comprises three groups of buildings, namely the former CPS, the former Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison with a total of 16 existing buildings. The concerned Block 4, i.e. the former married inspectors' quarters, is three-storey tall and of brickwork and timber construction.
According to BD's record, the alteration and addition (A&A) proposal for Block 4 was first approved by the BD on September 30, 2011 and the latest amendment was approved on August 13, 2015. The A&A works mainly involve the strengthening of building structure; addition of new external metal staircase; addition of an accessible lift; addition of new toilets from ground floor to second floor and conversion of ground floor to shops and visitor centre. The A&A works have not been certified complete by the authorized person and RSE of the project.
Ends/Monday, May 30, 2016
Issued at HKT 21:29
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