Heritage | Cultural Affairs Bureau to inspect St. Anthony’s Church

Back in May, the roof of the Saint Augustine Church partially collapsed

The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has announced that it will carry out an inspection of the roof of St. Anthony’s Church between September 26 and October 13.
Back in May, the roof of the Saint Augustine Church had partially collapsed after heavy rain. The main cause of the damage was reportedly “the impact caused by heavy rain”, as well as the building’s age.
The incident caused the bureau to form a team to inspect and evaluate other sites, and found another four to be at risk, namely Saint Anthony’s Church, Saint Joseph’s Seminary Church, Our Lady of Penha Chapel and the Ox Warehouse.
The IC’s Department of Cultural Heritage head Leong Wai Man previously said that the IC conducts regular inspections of all heritage-listed sites twice a year but stressed that the partial collapse of the St. Augustine Church roof was “a lesson” for the IC. Leong said the inspection to the St. Augustine Church aimed to ensure that “all structures are secure and there is no risk of a similar event occurring again.”
During the inspection period next week, scaffolding will be installed in certain areas inside St. Anthony’s Church. The opening hours of the UNESCO-listed church will not be affected and the church will remain open to the public. LV