The Buildings Department today urged the owners' corporation (OC) of a building in Mong Kok to do repair works, adding that enforcement action may be considered to ensure the safety of occupants and the public.
 
The department’s notice came following an on-site inspection in which a canopy was discovered to have fallen from an external wall on the 16th floor of the building at 30-36 Mong Kok Road. Police had earlier reported fallen concrete at the building. 
 
Some other canopies and projections were also found to be loose but no obvious danger to the overall building structure was noted.
 
The department said it had issued a statutory notice under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme to the OC in respect of the common parts of the 57-year-old building in 2014.
 
The OC applied for maintenance subsidies from the Urban Renewal Authority and its applications were approved in March 2021.
 
The inspector appointed by the OC submitted a report to the department in March of this year, recommending that repair works be carried out. The consultant concerned is currently preparing tender documents for the works and is expected to hold discussions with the OC on tendering for a contractor later this month. 
 
The department said that while the building has been inspected, the statutory notice will not be considered to be complied with until the repair works have been completed.
 
Failure to comply with a statutory notice without reasonable excuse is an offence, liable to a fine of $50,000 and one-year imprisonment and a further fine of $5,000 for each day the offence continues.
 
The department said it will continue to follow the matter up with the OC and urged it to ensure the repair works start as soon as possible.
 
Enforcement action will also be considered to ensure due compliance with the statutory notice, it added.