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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1992
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS DECLARED
THE BUILDING AUTHORITY HAS DECLARED THE BUILDING AT 9-13 PITT STREET, YAU MA TEI, KOWLOON TO BE DANGEROUS.
IN A STATEMENT ISSUED TODAY (TUESDAY), THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR (PGBS) SAID THE BUILDING WAS A NINE-STOREY REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURE SERVED BY TWO STAIRCASES, WHICH WERE INTER-CONNECTED BY A COMMON CORRIDOR ON EACH OF THE UPPER FLOORS TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED MEANS OF ESCAPE IN CASE OF FIRE AND OTHER EMERGENCY.
THE BUILDING IS COMMERCIALLY OCCUPIED ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND DOMESTICALLY OCCUPIED ON THE UPPER FLOORS.
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IN A RECENT INSPECTION BY THE DANGEROUS BUILDINGS SECTION OF BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE, IT WAS FOUND THAT CERTAIN UNAUTHORISED ALTERATIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE ΤΟ THE COMMON CORRIDORS CONNECTING THE STAIRCASES ON EACH OF THE UPPER FLOORS, SERIOUSLY JEOPARDISING THE OCCUPANTS IN CASE OF FIRE AND OTHER EMERGENCY.
THE PGBS SAID THE BUILDING HAD BEEN RENDERED DANGEROUS BY THE LACK OF MEANS OF ESCAPE AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE CLOSED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE ORIGINALLY APPROVED MEANS OF ESCAPE ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN REINSTATED.
HE SAID IN THIS REGARD, THE OWNERS HAD BEEN ORDERED TO CARRY OUT THE NECESSARY REINSTATEMENT WORKS WITHIN A PERIOD EXPIRING ON MARCH 27, FAILING WHICH AN APPLICATION FOR A CLOSURE ORDER IN RESPECT OF THE UPPER FLOORS WOULD BE MADE BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY.
THE NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER FROM THE HONG KONG DISTRICT COURT ON MARCH 31 WAS POSTED ON THE PREMISES TODAY.
FURTHERMORE, AN ORDER HAS BEEN SERVED TO THE OWNERS FOR THE CARRYING OUT OF GENERAL REPAIRS TO COMMON AREAS AND INDIVIDUAL UNITS OF THE BUILDING.
MEANWHILE, THE BUILDING AUTHORITY ALSO DECLARED THE ROOF AND STRUCTURE ON 20 WING ON STREET AND 19 GILMAN STREET IN CENTRAL LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS.
IN A STATEMENT, THE PGBS SAID CLOSURE OF THE ROOF WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS OF. THE BUILDING DURING THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE ON THE ROOF AND THE TOP PORTION OF THE COMMON PARTY WALL ADJOINING WITH 22 WING ON STREET AND 21 GILMAN STREET.
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDER FROM THE HONG KONG DISTRICT COURT ON MARCH 3 WAS POSTED ON THE PREMISES TODAY.
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