Kwong Wah Hospital Foundation Works deferred for conduct of consolidation works in vicinity of declared monument

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) made the following announcement today (December 17) regarding the Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) redevelopment project:
 
     KWH commenced the first stage of the hospital redevelopment project in mid-2016, including the demolition of the South Wing of the Main Hospital Building, the Nurses Quarters and the Administration Building. A new complex will be built on the original site while the Tung Wah Museum, which is a declared monument, will also be retained at the site.
 
     To protect the Tung Wah Museum in the vicinity from being affected by the excavation works of the first phase of the hospital redevelopment project, the building contractor has carried out excavation and lateral support works as required by the Buildings Department. In addition, the contractor has completed extra grouting work to minimise water leakage. Close monitoring of the geological conditions, including whether the ground settlement and ground water level have deviated from acceptable levels, has also been carried out.
 
     Basement excavation works commenced in February this year and have reached the bottom of the basement level. Excavation works were conducted as usual on Saturday, November 24, while all monitoring readings were within acceptable limits.
 
     In the morning on Monday, November 26, ponding water was found in the lift pit excavation area of the construction site, while monitoring data around the Museum indicated abnormal readings in groundwater levels and settlement. All excavation works were suspended immediately and urgent remedial measures were implemented, including the installation of additional recharge wells, re-grouting the grout curtain around the Museum and back-filling the lift pit area. Subsequently, the groundwater levels have risen again and the settlement has been under control without further deterioration. The consultant engineer conducted a preliminary inspection of the Museum has confirmed that there is no immediate concern regarding structural safety. The preliminary findings have been submitted to the Government departments concerned.

     The contractor has appointed an independent geotechnical expert to assess the geological conditions and identify the possible causes of water level changes and ground settlement, in addition to suggesting the remedial measures before works resumed. A monument preservation expert was also appointed to inspect the condition of the Museum and provide an assessment report to confirm the structural safety of the building.
 
     The HA has reported the incident to related government departments including the Buildings Department, the Antiquities and Monuments Office and also to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. According to the initial situation assessment, the redevelopment works of KWH may be subject to a three-month delay due to the incident. The HA will ensure that the problem is resolved before the resumption of construction work to safeguard the structural safety of the declared monument. Other buildings in KWH and residential buildings in the neighbourhood have not been affected by the incident. Patient services have remained normal all along.