Buildings Department releases investigation report on collapse of portion of Married Inspectors' Quarters Building at Central Police Station Compound

The Buildings Department (BD) today (May 31) released the investigation report on the collapse of a portion of the Married Inspectors' Quarters Building (MIQ Building) at the Central Police Station (CPS) Compound at 10 Hollywood Road on May 29, 2016. The findings of an investigation revealed that the collapse was most likely attributable to the hollowing out of multiple pockets in brick piers and brick walls for the installation of steel members for the timber floor strengthening works of the first floor of the verandah. The BD believes that the failure of one of the internal brick piers due to significant loss of sectional bearing area may have triggered the collapse incident.

All of the 16 buildings at the CPS Compound were declared as monuments under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance in 1995. The MIQ Building is a three-storey, L-shaped brick masonry building that was built with timber floors, brick piers and brick walls.

The alteration and addition works approved under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123) for upgrading the MIQ Building mainly involve strengthening of granite corbels at the east and west projecting bays, strengthening of timber floors to meet current fire resistance and structural requirements, recasting of the existing reinforced concrete slabs, addition of a new external metal staircase and new steel protective barrier, and reinstatement of a balcony on the west facade.

In light of the investigation findings and after consultation with the Department of Justice, the BD has instigated prosecution proceedings under sections 40(2B)(b) and 40(2A)(b) of the BO against the registered general building contractor (RGBC) directly concerned with the building works, and under section 40(2B)(b) of the BO against the authorised signatory of the RGBC and a building contractor involved in the incident. Summonses were issued by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today.

According to section 40(2B)(b) of the BO, any person who has carried out building works in such a manner that it is likely to cause a risk of injury to any person or damage to any property is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for three years.

According to section 40(2A)(b) of the BO, an RGBC directly concerned with building works who diverges or deviates in any material way from any work shown in a plan approved by the Building Authority under the BO is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for three years.

The hearing of the case is scheduled for July 6 (Thursday).

The investigation report has been uploaded to the BD's website at www.bd.gov.hk for public inspection.
 
Ends/Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:33

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