The ICAC has arrested two serving and one former staff members of the main contractor for a Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) construction project at Wang Tau Hom Estate Phase 14 in connection with the alleged use of reinforcement steel bars which had failed la boratory tests.

The arrestees were a site agent, a site administrator and a former quality control engineer of the main contractor.

The redevelopment project at Wang Tau Hom Estate Phase 14 comprises the construction of two HOS residential blocks, two children playgrounds, two fitness areas and a roof garden.

The case was unveiled in the course of an earlier ICAC investigation into the alleged use of substandard materials at construction sites.

It was suspected that the three persons arrested in the operation codenamed "Flying Saucer" on Monday (December 18) had corruptly connived at the use of about 30 tons of substandard reinforcement steel bars for the construction of superstructures at the site between January and August last year.

ICAC enquiries revealed that 1,000 Y20 (20mm-diameter) reinforcement steel bars destined for the housing project had failed either the mass density test or yield stress test performed by a laboratory appointed by the Housing Department (HD).

According to the contracts, all the failed bars should be returned to the supplier and are strictly forbidden from use in the construction works.

The three arrested persons were suspected to have allowed the 1,000 problematic steel bars to be used for construction of the superstructures.

The trio had also allegedly conspired to submit falsified documents over the use of steel bars to defraud HD.

The HD has rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.

The three arrested persons have been released on bail.

Enquiries are continuing.