XN000022-1974-06-12 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1974

FOUR BUILDINGS DECLARED DANGEROUS

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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED FOUR BUILDINGS ON HONG KONG ISLAND TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.

TWO OF THE BUILDINGS ARE SITUATED AT NO3. 5 AND 7, KWONG YUEN STREET WEST, AND THE ADJACENT BUILDING AT NO. 9 IS REGARDED AS LIABLE TU BECOME DANGEROUS.

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THIS MORNING THAT THESE THREE-STOREY PRE-WAR STRUCTURES WERE INSPECTED IN DETAIL FOLLOWING DEFECTS BEING OBSERVED DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION IN THE AREA.

+THE LOAD BEARING PARTY WALL BETWEEN NOS. 5 AND 7 IS FRACTURED AND SEVERELY BULGED AND IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THERE IS A RISK OF FAILURE OF THIS WALL WHICH MAY LEAD TO A COLLAPSE. IN ADDITION, MANY DECAYED TIMBERS WERE NOTED.

+THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NOS. 7 AND 9 1S IN POOR CONDITEON INCLUDING A SLIGHT BULGE AND IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THERE IS DANGER OF FAILURE JURING OR AFTER THE DEMOLITION OF THE ADJOINING 3JILDINGS. HERE AGAIN, DEFECTIVE TIMBER WAS APPARENT.+

NOTICES OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON JULY 15 WERE POSTED TODAY.

THE OTHER TWO BUILDINGS DECLARED DANGEROUS ARE LOCATED AT NOS. 139 AND 143, CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST.

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THAT THESE FOUR-STOREY BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN UNDER OBSERVATION SINCE THE ADJOINING BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED AS DANGEROUS IN 1972.

A RECENTLY REPORTED RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT VERANDAHS DESPITE SHORING HAS CAUSED SEVERE FRACTURING IN THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NOS. 138 CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST CA VACANT SITE) AND 139 CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST.

IN ADDITION SOME NEW FRACTURES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN CROSS WALLS AND IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THERE IS RISK OF FAILURE LEADING TO A COLLAPSE.

ALTHOUGH N).140 CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST IS AN EXTENSIVELY RECONSTRUCTED BUILDING THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NO.139 AND 140 13 ALSO SEVERELY FRACTURED DUE TO A SIMILAR MOVEMENT OF THE VERANDAH AND THERE 15 A RISK OF FAILURE.

A. APPLICATION FOR A CLOSURE ORDER ON NO.140 CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST WILL BE MADE AT VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON JULY 4 BJT A SIMILAR APPLICATION FOR THE MORE SERIOUSLY DAMAGED NJ.139 CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST WILL BE MADE AT 9.30 A.M. ON JUNE 20.

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