Page
RACECOURSE DISASTER. WEAKNESSES IN THE SHEI
JURY ATTEMPT TO FIX THE" RESPONSIBILITY
HON.
ADMITS. HIS DEPARTMENT WAS
AT FAULT,
THE HUNDKOND
DAILY
PREM IRIDAY MARCH 29ra, 1918,
If your former partner und been alive do you think he would have built the sheds as you have done this year 7-Yes
iʼhe was alive. is it not a fact
We have noticed that there is a fourco of weakness in the doors being of different levels. There is a weakness duc to in suthielency of cross-bracing in the tarWhen
they would not think of laying down a main for any temporary buildings, 1 Applications by property owners for an morenced water supply would be conisder-
was cheme in contempla
LANE,
INTIMATIONS
and in the absence of struts at the reat that people naked him to put up thron on which would involve a greas altera GRAWKIRD
Are these two points points which should MR. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G have occurred to a competent man looking at the matcheds before use. They may or may not have been the cause of the collapse. Do you think the Building Overseer showed a want of competence in not noting and reporting these defects? If these defects existed he should cer tainly have noted them and reported
The enquiry into the race-course disas ter has continued for sixteen days and thas now been adjourned until after the Easter Holidays. Yesterday morning evidence on certain minor points wa
stomp matsheds and he refused t-Why
hould he? He did not refuse. He would tion in the mains in the neighbourhood- have built them providing he had time.
Suppesing one of your customers asked you to build a matshed and you thought would you build it or not?—I would not the design submitted to you was not safe
build an unsafe matshed.
of the racecourse. This was in conjune- tion with the Iraya East reclamation. and other development work. Ho had no
King to, that the pressure of water recollection of the request made by Mr.
might be increased during race-wock, there should, however, be some record of
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taken, while during the whole of the alter when Br. re conducted his inspection that you could not employ the usual the request Witness added that in STERLING
noon the Hon. Mr. W. Chatham, Director of Public Works, occupied the witness box. The enquiry, so far, has shown that there were several weak points in the mat heds this year. The Captain Super
The Foreman of the Jury notes that he had a complete plans or anything of that kind with which to check the work. Seeing that he had no plans do you still think that he was incompetent, or, rather, as you still think he showed lack of competenca in not noticing
that he had no pians,
Some of these sheds had so many doors amount of cross-bracings-I did it in But you knew your practice was to put the adjoining sheds, a this cross-bracing through every shed. Why did you accept an order to put up a shed without the usual amount Be
Fit.
intendent of Police, it will be remember them.7-It is an extenuating circumstance cause the adjoining shed would support water was ascertained and an allowance
113
Series DI
Do you think thess sheds should have been inspected by a properly qualified engineer or architect and confidence, as at us I am concerned, in the overarsi in charge. I would not have said it was necessary.
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bis opinion whatever the size of the main, so far as the hire at the matsbeds were concerned,, no supply would have een of any avast in the absence of fire which it was intended to supply with appliance on the spot. The population
Why did you not insist upon putting made for so much per head. A three inch cross-bracings in all sheds There wouldain was the smallest over laid. This to had four doors and the weight had street fountain supply in Wong Nei
Chong village. he no room for the doorways, Shed No particular one was intended to give a to be carried by the next shed.
Mr. AE Weight, the Building By Mr. Bowley The three-inch main Authority, said fie had examined the supply the new block of houses at matshed materials on the site of the Happy Valley but witness added that disaster which had apparently been re- since another misin had been laid covered from the fire. The material, on the east side of Happy Valley which speaking generally, seemed to be of good came round and joined the three-inch quality. Some of it was new and some main. That main was partly three-inch MENU STANDS,
and partly four-inch He remembered By Mr. Bowley He had no objection that the Water Authority was notified of BONBON to the use of old material provided it was performances in the Theatre Royal in still standing were up in the mains round the City Hall. It good condition. Over 80 per cent, of order that full pressure might be kept the poles in the
was possible to keep up full pressure in SUGAR of China 63
District Watchman 43 gave evidence of any particular locality, if arrangements having noticed à commotion in shed No were made, by adjusting the valves and. 12. He was going to investigate, thinh concentrating upon that locality. He did in that pusaibly it might be a case of not know that any suck is scecourse.
snatching, and he had just reached the entrance when the shed fell. He saw no che cutting any lashings,
mod, stated that probably he would have condemned the booths if he had been called upon to inspect them, on account of the insufficient number of exits. Mr. Chatham, in his evidence yesterday, ad
Mr. Lo here raised the point that Mr. mitted certain weakening effects in structure and towards the close of the Sara had inspected the matsheds on three hearing he was questioned upon the occasions during their construction, the points by Mr. Lo, who 18 representing last occasion being on the Saturday be tore the race-meeting when the booths the famics of a number of the Chinese
were not even then
completed, victing and, subsequently, a
and that it would be to notice old. queries were addressed to nim by the jury
detects until the building was finished. with the objat of finding ont. who was Dowley pointed out to Mr. Eo that responsible for allowing these were the sheds for all practical purposes were to go unchecked and unreported.
Mr. Lo: Do you thick, Mr. Chatham, completed on the Saturday and that then at the most there were only two or three that a plan of these buildings should have
lashings to be tied and perhaps a little been submitted to the
tulice matting to be added.The Coroner, how be ignorant Messer does not pretend to
the last in- noted that of was anly. of the existence of these she be arguing
Mr. Lo Then we seem to ie a-sircle, for Mr Messer, an answer Tu
to Mr. Chatham, at the instance of the our queries, stated that plans were never jury, said: You have admitted Mr. Kabinitted, to humn for criticism or advice.
Chatham that your Department was at The Coroner: I don't suppose, tauit in connection with these sheds ?--- Chatham, that either you or ir. Messer It was an oversight.
shold anything behind caen desires u other's departments.
Mr. Messey has stated in the witness lox that he would probably have made recommendations as regards exits in most
every
spection that would count bis questions
The Coroner, continuing
Which officer of the Department bears that responsibility-The only officer who has any thing to do with the sheds is the othcer wire looks after the Building-Or- dinance.
Another watchman who gave evidence stated that in his opinion the abeds fell because the lashings were not strong enough. He heard nothing about them being cut,
been made with respect to the
By the Coroner Such an arrangement could have been made at Happy Valley by partially closing the valves to the East.
of the sheds if the matter had been re whole Coroner: That is quite clear, but pressure dropped considerably. Mr. Lane removed from the goir area it would have
ferred to him There were no plans of the sheds,
Plans could have been made? These sheds have been put up for 28 years, and 1
I have never heard a murmur about exits. The sheds have been put up for many, Years in the same ranar.
The
Mr. Chatham says this afternoon that, having that fact in view, he still thinks that the Department is at fault in leaving these matebeds unregulated,
By Mr. Bowley There was fairly fro quent testing of fire nydrants throughout Mr. Chatham: Ok, no.
the City by the Water Authority. He had Tho-Guroner: Previously in the en
TESTING THE HYDRANTS IN 1914 Colonel Ward's evidence. In his guy it has been suggested that the L.W.D. might have sent plans to Mr Mr., Wright has to accept responsibility
T. H. King, Assistant Superintendent opinion tus front frame of a matched, Messer for discussion and, on the other for any fault of the Department in con- of Police, said in February, 1914, when even without cross bracings, offered some hand, it bas also been suggested that Mr. Messer might have taken action without action with these sheds It might be be was Acting Deputy Superintendent of support to the sheds on either side and said that I was at fault or the First Police and ex-officio Deputy Superintenda series of frames, of course, increased the plans. That, I believe, is the posi-Assistant of the P.W.DZ
cat of the Fire Brigade, he visited the the resisting power, but it would be neces tion.
If a fault has to be shared, it has to Race Course, two days before the recessary to have struts, or some form of brac Mr. Lo: I would ask you, Mr. Chu be shared between yourself, and Mr. began and when the matsheds had then ing, at either end. He thought the sheds tham, in the light of subsequent events, Wright and Mr. Saral-Yes, your war beetz erected as usual, in order to test could be properly constructed, with open- if it would not have been better or proper ship, and by our predecessors in days the fire hydrants. He was accompaniedings of doorways left free from obstruc if plans had been submitted to the Fire Brigade-11 would have been a formal gone by. We have followed the old prac by Mr. Lane and some Chinese firemention by cross bracing, provided that vice that was followed in past years. He tested the hydrant immediately be struts were arranged where they were re- matter because the thing has been going
The Crown Solicitor: There is one
hind the Golf Club and the one near the quired. These strute would run out from on for 28 years.
thing which has already came. out in
entrance to the Race Course. He tasted the end sheds, or, where the sheds ware evidence. They did not consider, at the arst with a pressure gauge without hose. on a curvo they could be placed on the matched. That practically Explains the Che pressure was not more than 60 lbs at parts jutting out.
that time and when the hose was used the By to Coroner: When the struta were of the matter.
agreed with him that there was not iken advisaõie 17, 10 addition to the extra sufficient pressure to deal with any fire cross bracing in the party-wall, there in the sheds. The same morning he wrote had been extra cross bracing at the back.
letter to the PW.D. informing them of the tests and asked if it would be By Mr. Bowley: He agreed that sheds possible to maintain, during the race, and 3 formed a natural strat, for week, & pressure of 100 lbs in that main.tue whole line oneds 17, 18 and 19 form- At that time he considered a satisfactory strut for the nu ar tear end but pressure to be 100 lbs registered on the not quite to the same extent. Ine shed gauge applied direct to one delivery. Ana struts extending trum the end of reply was received during the races to stand tuse would tend to support the the effect that the pressure as witness PANIC BEFORE THE COLLAPSE.
found it was the hermal pressure and F. Thomas, of the Hongkong and could not be increased. It was men. Shanghai Pank, corroborated Colonel tioned that the main was a three-inch Ward's statement that people were seen main. He did not take any fire precau running away from the stands befors the tions in that year. The correspondence collapse. He said his attention was between himself and the P.W.D. was directed to the sheds by someone asking simply correspondence between officers of what was the matter with the Chinese, the Departments. It did not go to the and he then saw people running away Government Mr. Lo: For refreshments.
from the stands across the racecourse The Coroner: I think Mr. Chatham, There was evidently something wrong. A that as yet you have not considered the few seconds afterwards the bottins fell. matter, or formed any opinion as to the He could see no reason for the people number of exits, etc. No, I know no running thing about there at all.
The Coroner: Mr. Wright is preper to be running away from about the By the Coroner: The people seemed ing a plan showing all the exits. Will
middle of the row of sheds, but he could sep that plan and authorise Wright to make a statement on your not give any oxuct spot. It was, of behalf-I think that will meet it-Cercourse, quite possible that the people may Cainly.
have been frightened by a noise of crack ing, which he himself did not hear, as he was some distance away.
No, the sheds were not built in the same manner. There have been vital differences as regards the level of the doors in a similar manner.
The Coroner pointed out that there had bean
change
in Chatham agreed that assigns, and Mr. tions had been made substantial altora
1
Mr. Lo: Dealing with exits, we have it in evidence that in shed No. 3 the only entrance or exit to the ground floor was from the first door; there was no separate exit. Do you think that sufficient pro vision was made in that shed for precau tion against fire-What was the ground floor used for AVENTURA
Mr. Lo: The Superintendent of the Fire Brigade stated that a three-inch muin is of no practical use in the case of a big fire-That is so.
Mr. Chatham: It would have beco wise to bavo framed conditions.
The Coroner The matter is quite lear
THE EVIDENCE. Other evidence taken at the enquiry yesterday was as follows.
whole range. The roof of shed No. 17 wout give some support to soed No. 16. He was of opinion that it would have been more satisiactory to have added cross bracings to the front of saed No. 9 and in order to support the floor of No. 8 whion extended into No. 9. This cross bracing, nowever, was not indis pensable. Judging from the builder's A plan be considered that the struts were By Mr. Bowley He made the special as well arranged as they could have been test of water pressure with a view to the in view of the openings, a races. He could not say whether all fre hydrants were tested regularly. As far as he could recollect this particular test do with personally, was only one which he had anything to
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, The aon. Mr. W. Chatham, Director of Public works, recalled, said he was the Water Authority under the Waterworks Ordinance. The only reason that fie could give for the insuficiency of water THREE STOREY MATSHEDS. at the racecourse fire was that the main
Do you think proper provision for
Ho Wah Tong, compradors of Mesara, neaf the guit club was a small one. He water has been made in the Happy Valley Loxley & Co., who was formerly a build understood that seteral hoses were con district in the event of a big fire?—No. ing contractor, said on Friday before the nocted with it but the main was only Do you, as the Water Authority, intend race meetings foreman who had pre- capable of efficiently supplying one nose. A pressure chart roade on March 5th to remedy that defect? There is a scheme viously worked for him told him that is prospect which will entirely alter the several of the matsheds on the course were was produced and witness pointed out arrangements,
of three storeys. Witness thought that that it showed the pressure on the How long do you think it will take to three storey mataheds were not anfo for bydrant near the golf club varied on that bring that scheme to
fruition It may so many people, sud he, therefore, stopped day from 8 am to 6 p.m. from 100 lbs be two or three years.
his family from attending the meeting to 70 103. He presumed that represented We only hope then, commented Mr. The year before, his son and daughter in the normal pressure. The 70 lbs. pressure Lo that there will be no fires down there law had been to the races, e
was at 9.15 nm, and there was 75 lbs. in the meantime, and Mr. Chatham ro marked that it was now a very unfor tunate time to propose making any radical changes in these matters.
By Mr. Lo. The model of shed No, 16, as designed, would be unstable unless sup-
then strutted at either end they would Ported by seeds on either side. If a series of these sheds were built uniformly and have been safe. In his opinion the row of sness in 1914, being more uniform in height, were more stable than the row in Floors on ditiorent the present year. levels in adjoining sheds involved a loss of strength but he would not go so far as to contemn the sheds because the floorg varied.
The Coroner: Supposing the 1918 shods were overloaded what would you expect to happen Overloaded that implies taat they were not sufficiently strong to bear their load.
That is so I should imagine the vertical supports would be the ones to break.
Would you expect the lesings to give i roe. Insaings would be most likely to give
Would you expect them to fall over sideways unless there was some point on watch the lashings had given way brsti Or, were the struts had heen removed or were inadequate.
. Or, if there was some local weakening
By the Coroner: He advised the stuff 30 p.m. The difference in pressure was of Loxley & Co also not to attend the due to people drawing water from the races, both because of the prevalence of main. He knew of no reason why the fever and because he regarded the sheds supply of water from this main on QUESTIONS BY THE JURY, as unsafe. He had not himself ssen the February 26th should not have been FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY. sheds this year
penalty normal. The street watering would not The Coroner: On the last occasion you
Witness examined the models of the effect tuo supply from the hydrant unless came into the witness box, Mr. Chatham, matsheds in Court and stated that, in his it was going on when supplies were re-
in tus shed then, in consequence of the you stated that the Building Ordinance opinion, there was not enough bracing.quired for the fire. There wore sluice was, in your opinion, unworkable, and When Chinese theatrical matsheds were valves at every junction where the mains moving of the people, the nprights would that it had not been held applicable to built the uprights were inserted into the joined each other. The object of these move out of the plumb and they would matsheds. The Foreman of the jury ground for a few inches and rock placed valves was to cut off or reduce the supply go that way-Yes. would like to ask, even if that is so, whe into the hole to make everything firm. of water in the mains. No use, however, Do you think if these sheds carried ther you think our Department did
your
Sergeant Mason, who was on duty at the had been made of them this year, as far too heavy a weight the tendency of the execute its duty in leaving these matsheds Race Course from 11 p., on February he know. As far as he was aware the weight might be to make the uprights practically after
20th until 7 o'clock the following morn full supply of water was available on leave the plumb?--It might, but, betora anitation Tittle
replied atraid not,
the Water Authority at the time of the could take place there must be an in- Four
the bodies during the night,
to increase the supply. It would have
a
1731 Coming, stated that no one was allowed to view February 20th. A message was set to any leaning from the upright position.
Worship
The following questions were then also CONTRACTOR RECALLED.
put at the instance of the in
jury.
the
or do you think only an executive en-
Continuing witness said thought
fire but, very little could have been dore suiticiency of strutting id he thoug Do you think that your Building In The partner in the firm of Sze Hop, been possible to shut the valves to the that in the absence of cross bracing in spector, Mr. Bara, was competent to the matched contractors continued his eastward of the main, but the wet The the rear wall weakness might develop
which we have been evidence from the previous day. He con have bad any very marked effect. discussing this afternoon I think so. sidered, be said, that No. 10 was suffici-work would have had to be done by hand i from the removal of some struts from the of incompetence in hot noticing
you think he shown
go into it, and he pointed out on the smart performance if this had been done earlier years When the sheds were heavily loaded this might discluse itsel gineer would have noticed them. That plan the provisions he had made for sapunder ten minutes or a quarter of an is the real pointIt is a very dimeult porting the structure. He considered tur. In his opinion this measure would by the uprights leaving the perpendicular question to answer because the whole that sheds 8 and 9 were also strong have had no effect whatever upon the with the results that the sheds might point is whether the matcheds remained enough for their purpose: In shads Nes question of putting out the fire. A three-way and ultimately fall as they did, intact in the condition in which they 8 and 9 he had put in cross bracings bo-inch main was sufficient for all ordinary By Mr. Lo: In view of the curve in wore when Mr. Sara inspected them. Did tween the uprights in the basement purposes in the neighbourhood of Happy the row, struts behind 3 and 5 were anything occur to them after he had By the Coroner: He thought the beds Valley. The main was laid in 1897. He important. It might be that the fact inspected them--Did anyone remove of 1918 and 1914 were equally strong, I did not think the racecourse matcheds that sheds 1, 2, 3 and stood after the strut or anything because it happened to despite the fact that in 1918 there were were considered in any way when the collapse showed an insufficiency of be in his way?
diferences in the floor levels.
main was provided. In the ordinary way struts in the sheds from 5 to 7,
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