Man dies after falling down refuse chute at Hong Kong work site
Labour Department sends investigators to the scene to find out how the 55-year-old father of two was killed
A 55-year-old man died on Sunday from his injuries after he fell into a refuse chute in a Hong Kong industrial block despite firefighters’ rescue efforts.
Wong Chun-ming was clearing building debris on the third floor of Wing Wah Industrial Building on Chong Yip Street in Kwun Tong when he fell into the 2-by-2-metre chute situated between the second and third floors at about 9.50am on Sunday.
Other workers in the building, which was undergoing renovation, were alerted by the loud noise after Wong fell. A supervisor at the site called for help.
The Fire Services Department deployed its High Angle Rescue Team to the building. It took about 20 minutes to reach the worker.
The man, who sustained head injuries, was sent unconscious to United Christian Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
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The department said the man was difficult to reach because of the large amount of debris in the area and the confined space of the chute.
A Labour Department spokesman said it was highly concerned about the incident and sent investigators to the scene to see who was at fault.
“We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation,” the spokesman said.
The man, who was trained as a formwork carpenter, worked at the site clearing debris. It was his second day at the site.
He is survived by his wife, along with a 21-year-old son and a teenage daughter.
Chan Kam-hong, chief executive of the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, which was helping the family, urged the employer to quickly approach the family to explain what might have happened.
