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Danny Lee

Tony Cheung

The collapse of a huge green rooftop at City University’s Kowloon Tong campus prompted its management yesterday to start removing tonnes of soil and vegetation from other building tops, amid wider concerns about the risk of overloaded roofs at educational institutes across the city.
Answers demanded over collapse of green roof at Hong Kong City University
Experts linked the problem to a lack of government oversight, as universities and schools are left to carry out campus development internally by hiring their own professionals, even though any modification that affects the structure of a building requires official authorisation from the Buildings ­Department.

Three people were injured on Friday afternoon when the rooftop of CityU’s Tai Ho Multi-Purpose Hall, on the fifth floor of the Hu Fa Kuang Sports Centre, came crashing down without warning.
Just over a week ago, the hall was filled with students taking an exam. A big banquet planned for yesterday was cancelled.
Yesterday, after a bout of heavy rain, the university cleared tonnes of soil and grass from the roof of its Wei Hing Theatre and announced it would empty two more rooftops on campus.
CityU said it had relied on veteran surveyor Kenneth Chan Jor-kin to handle its green rooftops. Repeated attempts to contact him yesterday proved unsuccessful.
The roof that collapsed had an original loading capacity of 73 kg per square metre, which was at least five times less than that required for accommodating a green pitch.
The Buildings Department did not clarify whether the university had broken the rules, only stating that official permission was required for greening work involving demolition, alteration, or addition of structures or drainage systems, but not for placing flower pots or laying soil.

After demanding a full report on the collapse, education minister Eddie Ng Hak-kim said yesterday the government would issue a notice to all schools and universities about ensuring their green rooftops were safe.
The Hong Kong Institute of Architects urged the Education Bureau to review the system of ­allowing universities to supervise their own building work.
Institute board member Ivan Ho said: “The government should review ... how they allow universities a free hand for building work. There is a lot of room to improve which will help to avoid this kind of incident in future.”
But Ho, who also chairs the Professional Green Building Council, stressed that 99.9 per cent of rooftop gardens in Hong Kong were safe.
Misdirected energy: Hong Kong City University roof collapse highlights danger of adding vegetation to existing roofs
CityU president Professor Way Kuo, who cut short an overseas trip to tend to the emergency, made a public apology yesterday. The engineering expert refused to talk about the cause of the ­collapse. “We will handle this issue seriously, and hope that the campus can be safe,” he said after visiting the injured in hospital.
Two security guards were discharged from hospital later. A woman who was taken to hospital suffering from shock was discharged earlier.
The university has set up an investigation committee and expanded it to eight members, including experts and two student representatives, who are tasked with finding out exactly what went wrong and will publish their preliminary findings in two weeks.
Regarding the direction of the probe, Kuo said: “It will be 360 degrees. It will include all [relevant] laws and regulations, building safety, facilities and all possibilities … We will look into all buildings of the university, and give an answer to the public, our students and alumni.”


No prosecutions planned over collapse of City University of Hong Kong roof

City University of Hong Kong will demolish sports centre where roof caved in and erect a bigger one

Hong Kong officials identify 11 possible causes of roof collapse at sports centre

Surveyor expected to be held liable for roof collapse as City University’s top brass are accused of offloading responsibility

City University roof collapse

Neighbouring rooftop garden dismantled after City U roof collapse injures three

Government officials and worker take apart a rooftop garden neighbouring City University’s Hu Fa Kuang building, where a giant, green rooftop collapsed injuring three people. Photo: Sam Tsang

Government officials and worker are checking a collapsed rooftop in City University after a giant, green rooftop at its Kowloon Tong campus collapsed injuring three people. 21MAY16 SCMP/Sam Tsang

No Caption Available.

Answers demanded over collapse of green roof at Hong Kong City University

Education minister Eddie Ng demands full report as experts suspect roof was overloaded after vegetation was placed on top

Firefighters walk through the debris of the collapsed section of a building at the City University's campus in Hong Kong, Friday, May 20, 2016. The roof of an indoor hall at university's sports centre collapsed where three people were injured. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

epa05318911 Firefighters search the debris of the collapsed rooftop of a sport centre in City University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, China, 20 May 2016. Two men and a woman were injured when the 900 square metre collapsed. EPA/JEROME FAVRE

The hall, located on the City University campus. Photo: Dickson Lee

Misdirected energy: Hong Kong City University roof collapse highlights danger of adding vegetation to existing roofs

The aftermath of the roof collapse. Questions are being asked about the addition of vegetation to the roof. Photo: AFP

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Hong Kong

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.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}New | Neighbouring rooftop garden dismantled after City U roof collapse injures three

New | Neighbouring rooftop garden dismantled after City U roof collapse injures three