Cross-Harbour Tunnel staff did not use a fire extinguisher on a blazing car last month despite a Transport Department report that stated otherwise, it emerged yesterday.
The blaze, on May 29, forced 500 drivers and passengers to flee their vehicles in the tunnel at lunchtime and caused huge traffic jams on both sides of the harbour.
Investigations by the tunnel operators revealed that tunnel staff decided to leave the scene to help with the evacuation on the basis that they knew nobody was trapped inside the car and that Fire Services Department officials were approaching the scene.
The Transport Department said yesterday the tunnel operator had now established that its staff had not used a fire extinguisher to control the fire, contrary to an earlier report to the department that one staff member used an extinguisher.
Lawmakers were told in a letter from Commissioner for Transport Robert Footman that tunnel management had 'failed to obtain a truthful account in the first instance from their staff'.
'This is a point of general concern as it could result in a failure to identify important problems which need to be addressed,' the letter said.
This indicated a need for management to further strengthen the sense of discipline and duty among staff, and underlined the need for closer supervision of adherence to procedures, members were told.
