Ten people fall ill after tear gas used at police firing range blows into Hong Kong residential areas, source says
- People report feeling unwell at Ha Pak Nai in Lau Fau Shan around 4pm and ambulances were called
- Irritant being used in drill at Tsing Shan Firing Range to blame, force insider says
Tear gas being used at a police firing range during a training exercise wafted over residential areas in northwestern Hong Kong on Wednesday, leaving about 10 people feeling ill, a force insider told the Post
It was the second such incident in the area in three months.
People began to feel unwell near a well-known tourist spot, App Store Cafe and Barbecue, in Ha Pak Nai at Lau Fau Shan in the New Territories around 4pm. The source of the gas could not be determined.
Five ambulances arrived but none of the people who complained of feeling unwell required hospital treatment. Firefighters were investigating.
But the police source said tear gas was being used at the Tsing Shan Firing Range, to the south, and representatives of nearby villages had been notified beforehand.
Tuen Mun residents arrested after clashes over mystery smell fears
A local villager said such incidents had happened a few times before and questioned whether such training needed to be carried out so nearby. Another resident said his eyes became red and he felt a burning sensation on his skin. He said he had spoken to police about the drills before.
On June 1, seven people reported failing ill near Sheung Pak Nai and Ha Pak Nai. Later that month, the Security Bureau admitted to the legislature the Police Tactical Unit was conducting exercises and had used tear gas at the firing range. The bureau said the wind direction at the time might have caused the tear gas to waft into the vicinity.
The bureau pledged at the time police would strengthen communication with relevant departments and local residents to minimise any inconvenience to the public.
