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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1976
MOST RESIDENTS OF U LAM TERRACE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME
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NEARLY ALL THE RESIDENTS OF U LAM TERRACE IN THE LOWER MID- LEVELS WHO WERE EVACUATED FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE AT CAINE LANE LAST WEEK WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON.
OFFICERS OF THE P.W.D.'S BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE MADE A FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE SITE AGAIN THIS MORNING, AND ISSUED SPECIAL PERMITS FOR RE-ENTRY TO NOS. 6, 7 AND FLATS A AND B OF NO. 8 U LAM TERRACE.
THE THREE BUILDINGS WILL REMAIN SUBJECT TO THE CLOSURE ORDERS POSTED LAST WEEK AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT WHILE IT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO RETURN HOME THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO LEAVE AT SHORT NOTICE IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER RAINSTORM OR OTHER EMERGENCY SITUATION.
THE REAR GROUND FLOORS OF NOS. 6 AND 7, WHICH DO NOT CONTAIN DOMESTIC FLATS, WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR THE TIME BEING, AS WILL THE YARD AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING.
FLATS IN BLOCK C OF NO. 8 WILL BE THE ONLY FLATS TO REMAIN CLOSED, BECAUSE THEY ARE AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING, WHICH HAS SUFFERED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
THE FRONT PORTION OF THE BUILDING, HOWEVER, HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED, AND HAS BEEN REOPENED TO THE RESIDENTS.
A P.W.D. SPOKESMAN SAID THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING WAS NOW BEING APPROACHED TO COMMENCE SHORING AND REPAIR WORKS.
MEANWHILE, THE P.W.D.'S HIGHWAYS OFFICE HAS BEGUN CLEARING OVERHANGING PARTS OF THE COLLAPSED PARAPET WALLS, AND THE CAR WHICH SLID DOWN THE SLOPE DURING THE RAINSTORM WILL BE REMOVED TODAY.
A HIGHWAYS OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT NOW THAT DETAILED STUDIES OF THE COLLAPSE AREA HAD BEEN COMPLETED, CLEARANCE OF THE DEBRIS WOULD BE PUT IN HAND IMMEDIATELY, AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THE VERY EXTENSIVE REPAIR WORKS NECESSARY COULD BEGIN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
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