The following are findings were given in "REPORT OF THE INQUIRY
INTO THE COLLAPSE OF THE HOEL NEW WORLD" (DATED 16.2.1987:-
(1) Building Control Authority (DCB, BCB and BAB) in charge
...failing to detect structural drawings and plans being prepared
by unqualified person.
(2) Neither RC calculations nor other RC drawings had been lodged
with the Chief Building Surveyor as at date of certification by
piling layout plan on 16.5.1968 and these were submitted only 7
months later on 12.12.1968
(3) Based on his calculations, Dr. Buttling came to the following
conclusions about the capacity of the piles of the building:-
(a) The calculated ultimate bearing capacity for a single pile of
an assumed length of 80 ft (24.4 M) was 400 KN. Since the RC
drawings and the RC calculations show that the design load intended
by the designer on the pile was 200 KN, the factor of safety for
the piles was therefore 2.
(4) The piles were arranged haphazardly.. One of the piles failed
to pass the design load test at 400 KN with the panelists
commenting that this pile might have been short-pile thereby
compromising its carrying capacity.
(5) The soil profile shows a layer of fill material of about 1.5 M
thickness at the surface. Below this is a layer of marine clay
which at the location of the building is about 2 M thick. ..A
marine clay layer is about 18 M.
It is very clear that the marine clay layers at Nicol Highway were
very much more extensive and dewatering of groundwater for 30M deep
open cut should have alerted DCB and BCB to check on the temporary
shoring works to be constructed at Nicol Highway where the collapse
occurred.
When marine clays are so extensive and the open cut so deep, the
surrounding road and bridges would subside and the subsidence
should have been estimated so that bigger shoring structures could
be designed to prevent total collapse of the roads and bridges
nearby.
For a smaller project like Hotel New World there were already so
many structural designs, calculations and supervisions found
compromised. Even piles were found to be haphazardly arranged and
short-piled thereby compromising the original design load carrying
capacity.
One wonders why for major and much bigger works involving whole of
surrounding roads and bridges and safety of public, the critical
structurals calculations were not submitted to LTA and subsequently
to competent departments (DCB, BCB) for structural clearance after
the Hotel New World experience.
Has the minister in charge at least asked for the objective
pre-planning and calculation checks on safety aspects as he should
know that contractor might not have acted in the interest of the
public in order to save costs. Has Hotel New World report submitted
to the President been debated by parliament or digested by the
cabinet or has it been overlooked with no one looing into fuller
implementations as mentioned therein? Obviously the RC drawings and
calculations and certifications by QP have not been thoroughly
checked by the competent department nor asked for by the minister
and overlooked.
The Hotel New World's front page report to the President
stated:
We have the honour to refer you to the Instrument of Appointment of
Commission of Inquiry dated March 22, 1986 with the following terms
of reference :-
(a) to determine the cause of collapse ..
(b) to make recommendations for such appropriate measures that can
be taken to prevent a similar occurrence.
Had Hotel New World's recommendations been taken seriously and all
departments been made responsible to implement them with minister
overseeing the implementation do you think there will be another
collapse like Nicol Highway collapse killing the lives of several
and at least one prior request for transfer and subsequent
suicide.
Should the minister be made responsible?