A woman was injured by debris from a fire extinguisher that exploded as she was being taught how to use it at a retraining centre in Tuen Mun yesterday.
The accident occurred when the 56-year-old woman was attending an estate-management training course conducted by the centre, which is operated by the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions, in a flat in Tak Ching Court.
Poon Siu-ping, vice-chairman of the union, said the woman, surnamed Ho, was learning how to use a water-type fire extinguisher with another 14 people. An instructor had demonstrated how to discharge the extinguisher before allowing students to try it in turn.
Poon said that the instructor and another participant had used the extinguisher before the woman.
But when she tried to discharge it, it exploded.
Debris injured the woman's face and eyes. Ambulance workers took her to Tuen Mun Hospital.