Mong Kok residents hot and bothered after power failure

About 400 households in Mong Kok endured yesterday's sweltering heat without lifts or air conditioning because of a power failure.

The electricity supply failed at two buildings - Hung Fat Building and Hung Fai Building, at the junction of Tung Choi Street and Dundas Street - at about 10am. More than 60 shops and restaurants were also affected.

Firefighters were called to rescue an elderly woman trapped in a lift and security guards had to use torches to find their way around the blacked-out buildings.

'It was really troublesome and very hot. I had to walk up the stairs as the lifts were not working. I have just bought some fresh food and I must go back home,' a woman, who lives on the 21st floor, said.

'We had the same problem two years ago and electricity was cut off for about two days.'

Yau Tsim Mong District Office last night opened the air-conditioned Henry G. Leong Yaumatei Community Centre for residents whose homes were too hot overnight.

Property managers said the disruption was caused when a water pipe burst and the leakage affected an electricity supply room. CLP Power workers inspected the electricity supply to the two buildings and found it was normal. They believed the problem was with electrical equipment in the buildings.

Shops and restaurants were not able to do business as the air conditioning was off and customers stayed away.

Some shops complained they had lost at least HK$5,000 to HK$6,000 in business, with restaurants the hardest hit.

More than 860 calls for help from the elderly were received during yesterday's high temperatures, with at least 69 people requiring hospital treatment, the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association said. The top temperature was 35.5 degrees at Tseung Kwan O, with temperatures of 33 experienced widely across urban areas. A 37-year-old man fell ill while hiking on Kowloon Peak and was taken to hospital by helicopter.