Severely vandalised Mong Kok and Kwun Tong stations among seven still closed as Hong Kong MTR struggles to repair damage
- Four lines still running reduced services on Wednesday in wake of mask ban backlash, normal services on seven others including Airport Express
- Train services to shut down again at 8pm to allow more time for repair, rail operator says
Seven stations, including one which had its service centre burned down, remained closed on Wednesday morning as Hong Kong’s rail operator struggled to repair the damage wrought by violent mobs of protesters over the long weekend.
The MTR Corporation could not say on Tuesday night when the worst affected stations were likely to reopen, as it scrambled to return services to normal after hard-core protesters went on the rampage from Friday in response to the government’s anti-mask law.
The embattled rail giant announced the whole system would close early again at 8pm on Wednesday to allow for repairs, as passengers entered the sixth straight day of MTR disruption. It was still to be decided what would happen to the Airport Express after 8pm.
Among the hardest hit were Mong Kok and Kwun Tong stations, the latter of which had its service centre completely burned down.
A Post reporter on Tuesday visited the Mong Kok and Kwun Tong hubs, which had been severely damaged after protesters set fire at the station entrances and a customer service centre, smashing glass everywhere and damaging fire sprinklers, leading to serious flooding.
In Kwun Tong, one customer service centre had been reduced to charred metal fragments with a strong burning smell in the air, while another service centre had its large glass panels completely shattered, with the exterior also shattered.