WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1975
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FOUR BUILDINGS CONDEMNED
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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED THREE BUILDINGS ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND ONE IN KOWLOON TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.
THE BUILDINGS ARE NOS. 53, 55 AND 57 JERVOIS STREET ON THE ISLAND AND NO. 142 LAICHIKOK ROAD, KOWLOON -- ALL OF WHICH HAD BEEN UNDER OBSERVATION FOR SOME TIME DUE TO THEIR DETERIORATING CONDITION.
THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THIS MORNING THAT PRONOUNCED FRACTURES HAD OCCURRED RECENTLY AT THE JUNCTION OF THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NOS. 55 AND 57 JERVOIS STREET. HE ADDED THAT NO. 57 WAS SUBJECT TO SETTLEMENT AND THE MOVEMENT IN THE BUILDINGS WAS CONTINUING AND COULD GIVE RISE TO A SUDDEN COLLAPSE WHICH WOULD INVOLVE NO. 53.
IN ADDITION, THERE WERE DECAYED TIMBERS THROUGHOUT NOS. 53 AND 55 AND NONE OF THESE BUILDINGS DERIVED SUPPORT FROM ANY OTHER BUILDING.
AN EMERGENCY CLOSURE ORDER OF THE TOP FLOOR OF NO. 55 HAS
NOTICES ALREADY BEEN OBTAINED DUE TO THE DECAYED ROOF TIMBERS. TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS OF THESE THREE FOUR-STOREY BUILDINGS WERE POSTED TODAY. THE APPLICATIONS WILL BE MADE IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON JUNE 18.
IN KOWLOON, AN APPLICATION FOR A CLOSURE ORDER FOR THE FOUR- STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDING AT NO. 142 LAICHIKOK ROAD WILL BE MADE IN KOWLOON DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON JULY 2.
THE WEAKNESS OF THE BEARING OF THE FRONT MAIN WALL BEAMS OF THIS BUILDING WERE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE FREESTANDING KITCHEN BLOCK AT THE REAR.
THIS,
COUPLED WITH SIGNS OF PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION OF THE EXTERNAL LOADBEARING BRICKWORK AND REINFORCED CONCRETE GENERALLY, GAVE RISE TO A RISK OF COLLAPSE.
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