Four firms and individuals face nine charges over fatal crane collapse

The Buildings Department has pressed charges against four companies and four individuals in relation to the deadly collapse of a crane at a construction site on Anderson Road on September 7 last year.

Three workers were killed and six injured in the accident in Sau Mau Ping.

The department said investigation into the incident has been completed and legal advice has been sought.

"The Buildings Department has decided to press a total of nine charges against four companies and four individuals," a spokesman said.

They include a registered general building contractor, an authorized signatory of a registered general building contractor, a subcontractor and individuals directly related to the incident.

The hearing is scheduled for January 30.

According to the investigation report, the crane was supported by a steel base assembled by welding and screws before it was installed on a permanent concrete structure of the building.

The crane collapsed after one of the steel components welded onto the base pulled apart, leaving three workers dead and six others injured.

Apart from prosecution, the Development Bureau has also suspended two contractors from tendering government public works, one up to December 31 this year and the other until October 16 next year.

The bureau added further actions may be taken.

This could include suspend further their eligibility to tender public works or even delisting them from approved list of contractors, it said.

Meanwhile, registration of the general contractors involved in the incident already expired in April and their applications to extend registration have been referred to the Contractors Registration Committee for interview and scrutiny though the legal cases are pending and no conviction has been made yet.

The statement said the Buildings Department will consider the committee's recommendation before deciding whether to accept or deny the applications of the contractors concerned, or whether to impose additional requirements before approving the applications.

The Labor Department finished its investigation in March and have laid over 60 prosecutions against the involved contractors, subcontractors and a number of individuals.