Hong Kong substandard steel scandal ‘will not threaten safety’ of Shau Kei Wan housing project
Head of city’s second-largest public housing provider tries to assuage concerns that structural integrity could be at risk at estate set to provide 4,000 flats
The head of Hong Kong’s second-largest public housing provider on Thursday moved to dispel safety fears after a scandal at a redevelopment project where a contractor was found using substandard steel.
Housing Society chief executive Wong Kit-loong’s comments came a day after it was revealed that a subcontractor helping redevelop Ming Wah Dai Ha residential estate in Shau Kei Wan had used steel bars weighing a total of 7.5 tonnes before completion of strength tests.
Preliminary results had shown some bars from the batch of 20 tonnes did not meet safety standards.
The society said it had discovered the shortcoming through its quality control system when independent engineers conducted regular checks on construction work at the site.
The project’s main contractor, Chun Wo Building Construction, removed the substandard material and discarded the whole 20-tonne batch, despite not all the bars having been found lacking.
