Poisonous gas in a sewer is thought to have killed a 16-year-old boy and left his co-worker injured, in an accident triggering a government investigation yesterday.
The Labour Department is investigating the death of Ho Ming-tin, who should not have been allowed to enter an underground sewage channel without training. Police said Ho and a 26-year-old colleague, who was critically ill in the United Christian Hospital last night, had ventured into sewers on Kwun Tong Road to carry out maintenance for a private drainage company yesterday.
Three workers, alarmed when the pair failed to resurface, climbed into the drain outside Ngau Tau Kok Lower Estate to rescue them about 3.30 pm, but retreated when they felt the effects of the gas.
They were in stable condition in hospital last night.
Firefighters and divers were called in to retrieve the two workers, two metres underground.
Samples of gas from inside the sewer have been sent to the Government Laboratory for analysis after investigators said the workers might have inhaled a toxic gas such as hydrogen sulphur, formerly found in sewage channels.
