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City University roof collapse
Hong KongHealth & Environment

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

Final government investigation report points to overloading at sports facility, but professionals likely to face only internal hearings

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The roof of the City University sports centre collapsed in May 2016. Photo: Dickson Lee
Peace Chiu,Naomi NgandTony Cheung
Nobody will be prosecuted over the collapse of a green roof at the City University of Hong Kong in May last year which injured three people, the government announced on Wednesday.

In the final investigation report released by the Buildings Department, the government also confirmed that the university’s green roof did not require prior approval from the department under building rules, sparking calls to plug the loophole.

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The department said it was seeking further legal advice as to whether disciplinary action should be taken against relevant professionals.

The department concluded that overloading caused the collapse of the roof of the Hu Fa Kuang Sports Centre, which was filled with hundreds of students taking an exam just a few days earlier.

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The report said three factors were involved – a levelled layer of material applied to the surface of the roof structure being thicker than the original design, the laying of greenery on the roof and large puddles of water.

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