- 31-
Reply:
Mr President,
(a) Investigations have indicated that the probable cause may be attributed to fracturing of a part of the rock mass along a hidden plane of weakness during hand splitting of rock adjacent to the portion which subsequently fell off. The rock joints may also have been further weakened by water infiltration arising from heavy rains prior to the incident, including that associated with Typhoon Helen on 11 August.
(b) The case is still being investigated by the Police. Upon completion of their investigation, the Police may recommend to the Coroner that he conducts an inquest. The Coroner's Inquest or any further legal proceedings in this matter will determine if any human error or dereliction of duty on the part of any official was involved.
(c) A Coroner's Inquest will essentially constitute an independent inquiry into
the matter.
(d) For the work relating to Tuen Mun Highway widening, very intensive inspection and monitoring of the slopes are being carried out. The construction methods are under review and will be modified, if required. An alternative alignment is under investigation which will, if adopted, enable the works to proceed at the Tai Lam Section without further cutting of the relevant slopes. For future projects which require rock removal from slopes adjacent to roads, we will require that a more rigorous hazard assessment be included in the construction method proposals. This would ensure that all possibilities of risks and ways of avoiding them are examined in detail.
End/Wednesday, October 18, 1995