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Accidents and personal safety
Hong KongTransport

Hong Kong firefighter arrested after 60-year-old cyclist killed in traffic collision

  • Man freed from underneath emergency vehicle but later pronounced dead in hospital
  • Driver of fire engine arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving

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A fatal road crash in northern Hong Kong has left one cyclist dead. Photo: Handout
Danny Mok

A global adventurer who had been travelling the world on his bicycle died after a traffic collision in Hong Kong on Sunday.

A firefighter was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving over the incident in Sai Kung.

The victim, identified by a police source as 60-year-old American and Colombian passport holder Benjamin Restrepo, was hit when the fire engine mounted the pavement after veering out of its lane on the Kowloon-bound side of Hiram’s Highway near Pak Sha Wan shortly before 2pm.

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Colombia-born Restrepo was trapped under the vehicle, which also crashed into a parked car and only came to a stop when it hit railings on the side of the road.

Firefighters took about 30 minutes to free the cyclist, who was taken to Tseung Kwan O Hospital but later pronounced dead.

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The fire engine came to a stop after hitting a cyclist and parked car on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Handout
The fire engine came to a stop after hitting a cyclist and parked car on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Handout
According to community members in Sai Kung, Restrepo arrived in Hong Kong in February, and after stops in China, he had planned to go back to Tibet, but was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. He bought a ticket to Hawaii recently with money previously made from selling bicycle parts, and had planned to leave next month.
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