A concrete chunk from the facade of a 57-year-old building in Hong Kong on Tuesday struck a double-decker bus and caused a hole in the roof of the vehicle, marking the latest in an alarming string of similar cases in the city.
The incident – the second such case in 10 days centred on the same block – occurred on Nathan Road in Mong Kok at around 9.21am. The two latest cases involved the 29-storey Sun Hing Building that had scaffolding set up around it.
The falling debris on Tuesday hit a KMB bus on route 30X outside the building, according to police. “The concrete caused a 30cm by 45cm hole on the roof of the bus,” a force spokeswoman said.
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A photograph posted online showed broken pieces from the chunk that were as big as a mobile phone scattered on the floor of the upper deck of the bus.
The police spokeswoman said no casualties were reported in the incident, classified as “object fallen from height”.
Officers from the Mong Kok criminal investigation unit are determining the exact area of the building from which the concrete chunk had broken off. No arrests have been made as yet.
Under the Summary Offences Ordinance, dropping an object from a building and endangering or injuring a person is punishable by up to six months in jail and a HK$10,000 (US$1,280) fine.
In the previous case, chunks of concrete broke off the building canopy at about 8am on July 29. Police said no pedestrians or passing vehicles were hit.
Hong Kong buildings authority under fire over falling concrete from block
About two weeks ago, Hong Kong authorities warned thousands of homeowners they faced prosecution for failing to complete inspections or repair works on their buildings on time, following a spate of incidents of falling concrete in July, including three cases that resulted in injuries.
The government issued the warning on July 20 and revealed that owners of 2,700 old buildings had not completed mandatory inspections within their deadlines.
That warning came just days after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stressed that building safety was the ultimate responsibility of owners while pledging to “strongly enforce” a mechanism requiring blocks beyond 30 years of age to be inspected.
At least six cases of falling debris were recorded in July, including four in Mong Kok.
Concrete chunks fall off Hong Kong building, hitting Mercedes-Benz on road below
On July 19, concrete chunks fell from the first-floor canopy of Lai Wan Building in Sai Wan Ho and hit a 27-year-old man. An elderly woman was struck by mosaic tiles that fell from the walls of Yat Wo House in Tai Po on July 17.
In Mong Kok, two parked cars were slightly damaged by concrete that had peeled off a building on Tung Choi Street on July 16, while another vehicle was hit by debris from an industrial building on Tong Mi Road on July 10.
Also in the same district, chunks of concrete fell off the 17-storey Po On Building on July 2 and 5. In the July 2 incident, the debris hit a truck, injuring its driver.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Thousands of Hong Kong homeowners face prosecution for failing to carry out timely building inspections, but surveyors say stiffer penalties needed
- Hong Kong man injured by concrete falling from building, in second case of debris raining down on victims in 3 days
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