A worker in Hong Kong has died after collapsing at a construction site in Tuen Mun, where he remained undiscovered for seven hours.
The 64-year-old man was working on a project to expand the West New Territories Landfill in Tuen Mun.
The Environmental Protection Department, which oversees the landfill’s extension project, said in a statement that the deceased worker was responsible for site formation works, and that he was hired by a subcontractor in charge of design, build and operation.
The worker had reportedly contacted his wife at around 2pm on Friday afternoon while working at the site.
She later called the site supervisor after he failed to return home from his shift.
2 die, 3 injured after scaffolding collapses at Hong Kong construction site
2 die, 3 injured after scaffolding collapses at Hong Kong construction site
Staff at the construction site subsequently patrolled the area and went through closed-circuit television footage at around midnight. They discovered that he collapsed on a platform around seven hours earlier at around 5.30pm.
The worker was then sent to Tuen Mun Hospital where he was later confirmed dead.
Police said the man was reportedly also a taxi driver with a history of high blood pressure, and added the cause of his death was still being investigated.
Director of Environmental Protection Samuel Chui Ho-kwong extended his sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, saying he was “deeply saddened by the incident”.
His department also said the contractor had been instructed to fully cooperate with the investigation and submit a report on the incident within seven days.
An ex-gratia relief payment would be given to the worker’s family by the contractor, authorities said.
Hong Kong authorities to probe Tsim Sha Tsui project for alleged building issues
Hong Kong authorities to probe Tsim Sha Tsui project for alleged building issues
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that the matter was of great concern to his department.
“We will thoroughly investigate and understand the details of the incident, including contacting the companies involved, to determine the cause,” he said.
“On the other hand, we are actively providing assistance to the families and households affected by this incident.”
The death coincides with a two-week citywide inspection of construction sites, after a bamboo scaffolding collapse incident at a 30-storey building in Kai Tak killed two people on February 20.
In September, two construction workers were also killed in a suspected underground biogas leak at a site near the West Kowloon Cultural District, managed by the MTR Corporation.
The pair were believed to have remained undiscovered for up to 12 hours prior to the report being made, with authorities vowing to press charges if the employer was found to be negligent.
