Falling concrete from warehouse injures 2 pedestrians in Hong Kong
- Victims were walking along pavement on Wing Hau Street in Kwai Chung when pieces fell from outer wall
- Supervisor, 53, from the building’s management office arrested by police for allowing an object to fall from height
Two pedestrians sustained minor injuries when they were hit by fragments of concrete that had fallen from an outer wall of a warehouse in Hong Kong on Sunday.
A man and a woman, aged 72 and 47 respectively, were walking along the pavement on Wing Hau Street in Kwai Chung at about 10.34am when part of the outer wall of the Kerry TC Warehouse 2 building crumbled. Pieces of concrete fell to the street below, hitting the two victims.
A police spokesman said initial investigation suggested there had been a loud “bang” before part of the wall gave way.
“The man sustained a minor injury to the head and one of his legs, and the woman complained about pain in the waist and shoulders,” he said.
They were conscious and taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for treatment.
The area of the outer wall where the concrete came loose measured about two metres (6.5 feet) by three metres. The concrete split into fragments upon hitting the ground.
A supervisor, 53, from the building’s management office was arrested by police for allowing an object to fall from height.
Kerry Logistics responded to an inquiry by the Post with a short statement. “We are fully cooperative in the investigation. Inspection and maintenance have been carried out regularly on the building,” the company said.
According to information on the company’s website, the 16-storey warehouse is mainly used for cold storage goods and cargo. It has a total area of more than 490,000 sq ft.
A Buildings Department spokesman said officers inspected the structure after the incident and found part of the exterior finish and plaster on the outer wall at the ninth floor had fallen off. But officers said the damage posed “no imminent danger” to the soundness of the building.
The management company had arranged for a contractor to carry out repairs and further inspection, he added.
The building is 25 years old, according to the department.
