XN000022-1992-04-07 — Page 7

1

TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1992

TIE-BARS HAVE ALSO BEEN INSTALLED IN 47 TO RESTRAIN THE FLANK WALL ABUTTING MAN WA LANE.

RECENT INSPECTIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE MOVING OF THE FLANK WALL AND THE FRONT WALL OF 47 BONHAM STRAND HAD OCCURRED AND RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE FRACTURING OF THE BRICK WORK AND WIDENING OF THE OLD FRACTURES.

SOME OF THE FRACTURES HAVE EXTENDED THE WHOLE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING AND GENERALLY OCCURRED NEAR THE TIE-BARS AND WINDOW OPENINGS INDICATING THAT THE TIE-BARS ARE NO LONGER SUPPORTING THE WALL AND

THE BUILDING.

BESIDES, ABOUT HALF OF THE STRUCTURAL TIMBER JOISTS WERE IN A SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE CONDITION WITH THE REMAINDER ALSO FOUND DEFECTIVE TO A LESSER DEGREE, HE SAID.

THE PGBS SAID THERE WAS A DISTINCT DANGER OF COLLAPSE FLANK WALL TO THE BUILDING AT 47 BONHAM STRAND.

OF THE

IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE LIVES AND PROPERTIES OF THE OCCUPIERS AND THE HAWKERS ALONG THE SIDE WALL AND THE PUBLIC AT MAN WA LANE, THE BUILDING SHOULD BE CLOSED AS BEING DANGEROUS AND SUBSEQUENTLY BE DEMOLISHED.

MEANWHILE, IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE BUILDING AT 49 BONHAM STRAND IS IN LESS DILAPIDATED CONDITION BUT EXHIBITING SIMILAR SIGNS OF DISTRESS TO A LESSER EXTENT AND COULD NOT SAFELY WITHSTAND THE DEMOLITION OF THE STRUCTURE AT 47.

THEREFORE, IT SHOULD ALSO BE CLOSED AS BEING LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS AND BE DEMOLISHED AS A JOINT OPERATION WITH THE STRUCTURE AT 47.

NOTICES OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS FROM THE HONG KONG DISTRICT COURT ON MAY 19 WERE POSTED ON THE PREMISES TODAY.

PARTS OF BLUE POOL ROAD BUILDINGS TO BE CLOSED

* * * * *

TEMPORARILY

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY (TUESDAY) DECIDED то CLOSE PARTS OF THE BUILDINGS AFFECTED BY A LANDSLIDE IN BLUE POOL ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY.

PART OF THE REAR PORTIONS OF THE BUILDINGS AT 33,35 AND 37 BLUE POOL ROAD WERE DAMAGED BY MUD WASHED DOWN FROM THE SLOPE BEHIND.

THE PARTS TO BE CLOSED INCLUDE:

* THE WHOLE OF THE GROUND FLOOR, INCLUDING THE BACK YARD AND GARAGE OF 33-35.

/* THE REAR