A TEMPLE-LIKE structure on the roof of a residential building in Nanshan District is suspected of having been built illegally, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported, following a rooftop construction scandal that recently drew international attention in Beijing.

    The structure on top of the residential building in Meijia Plaza in Nanshan’s Shahe Subdistrict is said to have been built three years ago, despite objections from the building’s residents. The tower-shaped, one-story structure has overhanging eaves and golden-painted walls, distinguishing itself from surrounding buildings.

    An unidentified insider said the temple belongs to a resident on the building’s 21st floor. Visitors are denied access to the rooftop with a fingerprint lock at the gate, the Daily said.

    Residents in the building said they were no longer permitted to access the rooftop after the temple was built, even though it is a public area and the rooftop could be the only escape route for high-story residents in emergencies. Some residents said the complex’s management office neglected its duty by not taking measures to stop the construction or report it to law enforcement.

    Residents also worried that the temple would overload the building and cause structural damage.

    An employee of Shenzhen Ruizheng Property Administration Co., which is in charge of the building’s administration, said he was not aware of the problem and the administration had no access to the rooftop because it’s locked up by the temple’s owner.

    A construction document shows that the gate to the rooftop is a fire safety passageway that residents can use to call for help. According to the country’s firefighting law, emergency exits and fire lanes cannot be blocked or occupied for private use.

    Law enforcement officers with Shahe Subdistrict said they hadn’t received any complaints about illegal construction in the area and were unable to verify whether the temple was illegally built before investigations.

    A police spokesperson said the department would demolish the structure if illegal construction was confirmed, and measures such as the freezing of property rights would be taken if the owner opposed the demolition.

    (Anna Zhao)