XN000022-1989-10-19 — Page 29

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1989

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER FROM THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT COURT ON DECEMBER 14 THIS YEAR WAS POSTED ON A CONSPICUOUS PART OF THE STRUCTURE TODAY (THURSDAY).

IT IS EXPECTED

THAT

CLOSURE ORDER IS MADE.

DEMOLITION WORK WILL START ONCE THE

PRE-WAR BUILDINGS AT SHANGHAI STREET DECLARED DANGEROUS

BUILDINGS

THE

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY (THURSDAY) DECLARED THE AT NOS. 451 AND 541 SHANGHAI STREET, KOWLOON TO BE DANGEROUS AND BUILDING AT NO.449 OF THE SAME STREET LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS.

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT WHICH HAD BEEN UNDER

IN A STATEMENT ISSUED THIS MORNING, BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THE BUILDINGS, OBSERVATION FOR SOME TIME, WERE ALL BUILT BEFORE THE WAR.

THE TWO AT NOS. 451 AND 541 WERE IN AN ADVANCED STATE OF DILAPIDATION AND WERE CONSIDERED TO BE BEYOND REASONABLE REPAIR AND SHOULD BE CLOSED AND DEMOLISHED.

THE STATEMENT SAID THAT NOS. 449 AND 451 WERE TWO ADJOINING BUILDINGS SHARING A COMMON STAIRCASE OF COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION, CONCRETE IN NO. 449 AND TIMBER IN NO. 451.

WITH THE DEMOLITION OF NO. 451 WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE TIMBER PORTION OF THE COMMON STAIRCASE, NO. 449, ALREADY IN A DILAPIDATED CONDITION ITSELF, WOULD BE LEFT WITHOUT MEANS OF ESCAPE. IT WAS THEREFORE CONSIDERED TO BE LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS AND MUST BE CLOSED AND DEMOLISHED WITH NO. 451 IN A JOINT OPERATION, THE STATEMENT SAID.

ON THE CONDITIONS OF THE TWO FOUR-STOREY BUILDINGS OF NOS. 449 AND 451, THE STATEMENT SAID THE FLOORS AND ROOF OF NO. 451 WERE CONSTRUCTED OF TIMBER BOARDS ON CHINA-FIR JOISTS RESTING ON LOAD-BEARING BRICK AND MASONRY WALLS, WHICH THE FLOORS AND ROOF OF NO. 449 WERE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE RESTING ON LOAD-BEARING BRICK AND MASONRY WALLS.

OF

OVER 50 PER CENT OF THE ROOF, SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR JOISTS NO. 451 WERE DEFECTIVE AND A MINOR COLLAPSE OF THE ROOF HAD OCCURRED IN JULY, FRACTURES IN THE BRICKWALLS HAD BEEN NOTED AND THE ROOF AND TIMBER STAIRCASE WERE IN A PARTICULARLY POOR CONDITION.

NOTICES OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS IN RESPECT THE TWO BUILDINGS FROM THE HONG KONG DISTRICT COURT ON DECEMBER WERE POSTED ON THE BUILDINGS TODAY,

OF

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