2 injured as blast sends manhole covers flying

Two pedestrians were injured when an underground gas explosion blew three manhole covers into the air in Kwun Tong yesterday.

The blast sent one of the covers flying 2.5 metres and damaged a traffic light pole at the junction of Shung Yan Street and Hong Ning Road, the Fire Services Department said.

In Shung Yan Street, one of the covers flew for about three metres, while the other damaged railings on the footpath, senior Kwun Tong fire station officer Tang Kai-ming said. He added that minor burn marks were found inside the three manholes after the explosion.

Just before the blast happened at about 9.35am, a policeman felt unwell after inhaling an unknown gas coming from one of the manholes at the junction.

Pedestrians said they had smelled gas in the area before the explosion. One woman passer-by said: 'I felt the ground trembling just before the explosion went off. Luckily, there were not a lot of people there.'

Another woman pedestrian said there was a loud bang at the time of the explosion. 'It was just like the detonation of a big bomb. Police immediately evacuated us and cordoned off the area,' she said.

Mr Tang said two male pedestrians, aged 54 and 78, lost their balance and fell to the ground, injuring their arms and legs. The two men and the police constable were treated at United Christian Hospital. The 78-year-old man is in stable condition and the other two were discharged.