XN000022-1975-04-10 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1975

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DANGEROUS BUILDINGS

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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED NOS. 288 AND 290 QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG, TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THIS MORNING THAT BOTH THESE FOUR-STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDINGS HAD BEEN UNDER OBSERVATION FOR SOME TIME IN VIEW OF THE STEADILY DETERIORATING CONDITION OF THEIR BRICKWORK, MAINLY AT THE REAR, AND OF THE STRUCTRAL TIMBERWORK IN GENERAL.

THERE ARE INDICATIONS OF CRUSHING TO THE ALREADY SEVERELY FRACTURED AND OPEN JOINTED ARCHED CROSS WALL SEPARATING THE KITCHEN AREA AT GROUND STOREY LEVEL IN NO. 288 AS WELL AS OTHER SIGNS OF WEAKNESS AND SOME MOVEMENT ELSEWHERE TO THIS MAIN CROSS WALL AND THE REAR MAIN WALLS OF BOTH BUILDINGS, HE SAID.

+IN ADDITION, THE SUBSTANTIALLY DECAYED CONDITION OF SOME OF THE MAIN ROOF AND 1ST FLOOR TIMBERS IN NO. 290 IN PARTICULAR, GAVE RISE TO FEARS THAT LOCAL OR PARTIAL COLLAPSES COULD OCCUR HERE AS WELL.+

NOTICES OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 AM ON MAY 8, 1975 WERE POSTED TODAY.

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