Collapse of Hotel New World
The investigation found that during the calculation of the building’s structural load, only the LIVE LOAD (weight of people in the building, and additional fixtures and fittings, such as furniture) was factored in. The DEAD LOAD (weight of the building itself) was completely omitted from the calculation. This meant the building was not designed to support its own weight. It was later discovered that an unqualified draftsman, instead of a professional structural engineer, did the calculations for the building. The owner (which died in the collapse) also requested to use inferior materials in construction, in order to reduce the cost.