A huge sheet of bamboo scaffolding was partially peeled off from a building in Cheung Sha Wan as heavy showers and squally thunderstorms hit Hong Kong on Monday.
According to a Facebook post from a traditional Chinese medicine clinic that is situated in a building along Cheung Sha Wan Road in Kowloon, the scaffolding is hanging off of the Tin On Industrial Building.
“The scaffolding of the industrial building that is opposite Lai Sun [Commercial Centre] is leaning halfway, which is causing serious congestion on Cheung Sha Wan Road,” the post read.
It urged its customers who are visiting to avoid Cheung Sha Wan Road or take the MTR, and to put safety first.
Police said they received several reports about the incident along Cheung Sha Wan Road at 1pm.
“The callers said part of the scaffolding was dangling, which they said was caused by huge winds, and they were worried that it might collapse,” the force said.
Police added that the entire sheet was around 20 meters by 30 to 40 meters, while the part that had been detached from the building was about 10 meters by 3 meters.
The force said no one has been injured.
The Transport Department announced on its website that as of 3:56pm, “all lanes of Cheung Sha Wan Road (Mei Foo bound) between Hing Wah Street and Tai Nan West Street are still closed to all traffic” due to “dangerous scaffolding.”
It added that the fast lane of Cheung Sha Wan Road (Mong Kok bound) near Hing Wah Street is closed to all traffic.
Motorists on Cheung Sha Wan Road (Mong Kok bound) cannot turn right onto Hing Wah Street.
The department also said that the following bus routes have been diverted:
Tsuen Wan bound: 936,936A,2X,30X,31B,33A,35A,36A,37,41,42,42A,44,45,46,52X,58X,59X,60X, 66X,67X,68X,69X,86C,98C,102,171,214,234C,238X,265B,270B,286C,286X,90 4,905,43C,102P,272E,905A,2A,2B,2F,6,6D,36B,72,86,86A
Yau Tong bound:
214
It added that there are traffic queues on Cheung Sha Wan Road (Mong Kok bound), which end at Lung Cheung Road near Beacon Heights and Cheung Sha Wan Road near Cheung Sha Wan Police Station.
Bamboo is the main material that is used to make scaffolding for the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings in Hong Kong.
Experts have said that it is safe for use in scaffolding as long as proper bamboo poles are used and workers are properly trained.
However, there have been occasional accidents in Hong Kong due to the collapse of bamboo scaffolding, such as during typhoons.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, there will be showers and a few squally thunderstorms today and tomorrow. There will also be moderate to fresh southwesterly winds, which are occasionally strong offshore.
The forecaster added that there will be heavy showers and squally thunderstorms in the next few days.
