'No medical help' at crash
Victims of Sunday's tourist coach crash were denied on-the-spot medical treatment because fire officers misread the gravity of the accident, it was claimed yesterday.
Medical teams were not despatched to the scene, even though nine passengers were seriously hurt. It took two hours to send all 54 victims to hospital.
The coach had plunged down a six-metre slope near the junction of Lam Kam Road and Kam Sheung Road in Pat Heung, Yuen Long.
A representative of the passengers, Poon Siu-ping, said yesterday that the mere presence of doctors and nurses would have eased victims' fears.
'The operation should be reviewed and standards set. Ordinary people don't know much about emergency operations, but we expect the best results whenever there is an accident,' he added.
A doctor at Tuen Mun Hospital was quoted as saying medical teams should have been sent to the scene because there were a lot of casualties and it would have taken more than 30 minutes to get them to hospital.
The Fire Services Department admitted last night that the officer-in-charge reported some 15 minutes after the crash that about 30 people were hurt, none seriously.
It said the officer believed a medical team was not required because the injuries were minor and no one was trapped.
The department denied poor co-ordination with the Hospital Authority.
'The entire rescue operation was smooth, efficient and effective and in accordance with the major incident procedure agreed between the Fire Services Department and Hospital Authority,' it said.
Fifteen ambulances were despatched.
The Hospital Authority said a debriefing would uncover any shortcomings.
An 82-year-old woman who was on the day trip around the territory was in critical condition last night while 30 others remain in hospital.
Officials tested the 10-year-old Fung Choi Travel coach yesterday and ruled out faulty brakes as the cause of the accident.
Police said the results of their inquiry could be expected within a month.
