THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1982
ENGINEERS INSPECT ACCIDENT SITE
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THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ENGINEER, MR HAROLD BEATON, TODAY INSPECTED THE TUEN MUN ROAD STAGE TWO WORK SITE WHERE THE SCAFFOLDING SUPPORTING FORMWORKS FOR ONE OF THE COLUMN HEADS COLLAPSED ON TUESDAY WHILE THE LATTER WAS BEING CONCRETED,
ACCOMPANYING HIM WERE MR T.S. NG, GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY ENGINEER (CONSULTANT MANAGEMENT) MR ANDREW MANSLOWICZ AND MR RON RAKUSEN, BOTH FROM THE CONSULTANT ENGINEERING FIRM, SCOTT WILSON KIRKPATRICK AND PARTNERS: SENIOR RESIDENT ENGINEER, MR MIKE SMITH AND SENIOR ENGINEER OF THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE, MR STEPHEN WAN.
MR BEATON SAID THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED WHEN WET CONCRETE WAS BEING POURED INTO THE TEMPORARY MOULDS WHICH WERE SUPPORTED ON SCAFFOLDING AT A HEIGHT OF 30 METRES.
*THE POUR WAS ALMOST COMPLETE WHEN THE TEMPORARY SUPPORTS BENEATH THE MOULDS FAILED ALLOWING THE WET CONCRETE TO FALL TO THE GROUND.+
MR BEATON STRESSED THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION OF ANY PERMANENT PART OF THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE HAVING FAILED AS SOME REPORTS HAD SUGGESTED.
HE SAID THAT INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CONTINUING AND WOULD BE INTENS FIED ONCE THE OVERHANGING REINFORCEMENT AND CONCRETE AT THE TOP OF THE COLUMN HAD BEEN REMOVED, MAKING IT SAFE FOR INVESTIGATORS TO APPROACH THE BASE OF THE COLUMN.
+THIS IS A DIFFICULT JOB AND CAN ONLY BE DONE WITH THE WEST-BOUND LANE OF TUEN MUN ROAD CLOSED TO TRAFFIC, MR BEATON ADDED.
+THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
IT WILL THEN TAKE SEVERAL DAYS TO SIFT CAREFULLY THROUGH THE TANGLED WRECKAGE OF THE SCAFFOLDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH WHERE AND WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED.+
MR BEATON SAID THAT PROGRESS ON THIS CONTRACT HAD BEEN GOOD AND WORK WAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT DESPITE THE SETBACK, THIS SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY WILL STILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE TARGET DATE OF JANUARY NEXT YEAR.
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