The government yesterday ordered the building contractor of the ongoing demolition of the derelict Hotel Estoril to suspend all work on the site, after its failure to prevent the building’s crumbling brickwork from falling outside the construction site, to the road outside.
The Public Works Bureau (DSOP) announced the case, which occurred yesterday, in a statement last night.
According to the statement, no one was injured in the accident, but a driver passing the site got frightened when the bricks fell outside the site, the statement said.
The ongoing demolition of the long-abandoned Hotel Estoril, which got off the ground last month, is part of the first phase of the government’s new central library project, which also includes the new library building’s pile foundation and basement work on the site, which is located on Avenida de Sidónio Pais, opposite Praça do Tap Seac.
The new central library project’s first phase is being carried out by Ming Shun Construction and Property Investment Limited for a price tag of 69.78 million patacas. The project’s first phase is scheduled to be completed in December next year.
After the first phase’s completion, the library project’s second phase, namely superstructure work, will start, for which the government is yet to launch a tender.
According to last night’s DSOP statement, the preliminary findings of the bureau’s investigation show that constructors failed to stabilise crumbling brickwork that was about to fall from the top of old building’s external wall, after which some brick fragments fell onto the pavement and road outside.
According to the statement, the bureau yesterday ordered the building contractor to fully cooperate with its investigation into the case, review its safety measures implemented for the construction site, and submit a report to the bureau in due course.
The statement said that the building contractor will only be allowed to resume the work on the construction site after it has implemented improved safety measures.
Firefighters, Public Works Bureau (DSOP) and Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) inspectors investigate outside the construction site of the demolition of old Hotel Estoril yesterday after the incident. – Photo: DSOP
