The Buildings Department (BD) said today that it initiated 205 prosecutions regarding the steel reinforcements of some structural elements in the superstructure works at a construction site at Anderson Road in Kwun Tong.

Having received a report in August last year alleging that the steel reinforcements had not been installed in accordance with the requirements of the Buildings Ordinance (BO), the BD served an order requiring the entire site to cease works, deployed staff to carry out multiple site inspections and required the project’s registered structural engineer (RSE) and registered general building contractor (RGBC) to open up the concrete at various locations in the superstructure of six residential towers for investigation.

The results revealed material deviations in part of the steel reinforcement installation from the approved plans in the six towers, including positional discrepancy and displacement of steel reinforcements, discrepancy in the size of steel reinforcements, fewer steel reinforcements than those shown in the approved plans, as well as misalignment of structural columns.

Based on the investigation findings, the BD found that the RGBCs and individuals directly concerned with the building works have violated the BO.

After consultation with the Department of Justice, the BD initiated 204 prosecutions under section 40(2A)(b) of the BO against the former and current RGBCs, the authorised signatories of the former and current RGBCs, and four technically competent persons directly concerned with the building works, involving two companies and six individuals.

Additionally, one prosecution was initiated under section 40(2AB) of the BO against one of the technically competent persons concerned.

The BD added that although there is no obvious danger to the overall structure of the six buildings, it is closely following up with the project RSE on the incident report and the necessary remedial measures, including localised strengthening of the buildings, demolition of parts of the structural elements where necessary, and the reinstallation of steel reinforcements and recasting of concrete.