XN000022-1976-02-19 — Page 2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1976

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ESTATE BLOCKS COMPLETED EARLY FOR FIRE VICTIMS

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE HAS COMPLETED THE FIRST TWO BLOCKS OF HING WAH ESTATE IN CHAI WAN SIX WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE UNDER A CRASH BUILDING PROGRAMME STARTED AFTER THE ALDRICH BAY FIRE EARLIER THIS MONTH.

THEY WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TOMORROW (FRIDAY) AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FIRST FAMILIES WILL MOVE INTO THEIR NEW HOMES SHORTLY.

THE TWO COMPLETED BLOCKS CAN ACCOMMODATE SOME 3,300 PEOPLE IN 670 SELF-CONTAINED FLATS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 240 SQUARE FEET TO 380 SQUARE FEET.

ORGINALLY, THE ESTATE WAS TO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY APRIL THIS YEAR. BUT ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE FIRE, PWD ARCHITECTS INSPECTED THE WORKS IN PROGRESS TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF A SPEEDED-UP PROGRAMME SO AS TO ACCELERATE THE REHOUSING OF SOME OF THE VICTIMS.

TWO BLOCKS -- BLOCK 3 AND 8 WERE SELECTED FOR EARLY COMPLETION. A COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY BUILDING PROGRAMME WAS THEN DRAWN UP, WHICH BEGAN IN EARNEST ON FEBRUARY 5.

THE ARCHITECTS AND THE CONTRACTOR ALLOWED THEMSELVES ONLY 16 DAYS AND NIGHTS TO COMPLETE THE BLOCKS AND, THEIR OPTIMISM PAID OFF.

+IT WAS A BIT OF A GAMBLE,+ ADMITS MR. JOSEPH LEI, CHIEF ARCHITECT.

+ IN AN OPERATION LIKE THIS WHERE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, THERE ARE BOUND TO BE UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTIES AND THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT NOT MEET THE DEADLINE WE HAD SET OURSELVES.

+IT WAS ANYTHING BUT EASY, BUT NOW SOME OF THE VICTIMS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO BEGINNING A NEW LIFE IN THE ESTATE MUCH SOONER.+

TODAY, WORKERS AT THE SITE WERE PUTTING FINAL TOUCHES TO THE FLATS AND CLEARING UP THE AREA.

ALL THE FLATS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, WATER AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES CONNECTED, LIFTS INSTALLED AND DRAINAGE PIPES LAID.

DURING THE PAST TWO WEEKS, MORE THAN 300 WORKERS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED ON THE TWO BLOCKS, WITH ABOUT 100 WORKING AT NIGHT.

MEANWHILE, WORKS CONTINUE ON THE REMAINING FIVE BLOCKS OF THE $53 MILLION ESTATE, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A TOTAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 22,700 PEOPLE.

WHEN FULLY COMPLETED IN APRIL, IT WILL HAVE TWO ESTATE SCHOOLS, A WELFARE HALL, MARKET, RESTAURANT AND LARGE AREAS OF OPEN SPACE WITH PLAYGROUNDS FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

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