HONG KONG: In the aftermath of the sudden and deadly collapse of a more than 50-year-old building at 45J Ma Tau Wai Road in To Kwa Wan last Friday. The site is currently the scene of intense clearing and stabilization activities. Although the Kowloon West Crime Unit has taken over the case, the cause of the collapse remains uncertain.

"The cause is still under investigation. At the last inspection, the building indeed showed no signs of collapse," the Director of the Buildings Department Au Choi-kai said.

Although the collapsed building was inspected by the Building Department earlier in January, just a few weeks later the building was reduced to dusty killer rubble strewn beside the standing remainders.

Because a shop on the ground floor of the building was under renovation when the collapse happened, the Crime Unit is investigating whether it was related to the collapse.

The police have also been talking with people who witnessed or filmed the moment of collapse to find more clues. Experts have also been invited for site investigation.

Most old buildings in Hong Kong have structural safety problems, said Chan Chi Ming, head of the Department of Construction at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education. He indicated the structural danger is mostly related to improper alterations in and additions to the old buildings. That will, he said, generate unnecessary extra forces and stress on such buildings' structures, including undermining original walls.

Alarmed by the accident, the Building Department immediately started an inspection of about 4,000 buildings in the city that are 50 or more years old. Forty teams, each comprising two officers, one technical officer and one building surveyor or structural engineer, will carry out the inspections and determine whether the inspected buildings are structurally safe and sound.

Director of Fire Services Lo Chun-hung promised that the fire services will provide assistance in the inspections if necessary.

(HK Edition 02/02/2010 page1)