Towngas to seek damages

THE Hong Kong and China Gas Company will seek compensation from a roadworks contractor for damaging a gas main in Tsuen Wan causing 150 people to flee their homes.

''We'll seek compensation based on the number of workers and material used to repair the damage but we've not yet worked out the amount,'' the company's distribution manager, Law Wai-tim, said.

Police sealed off six buildings at the junction of Chung On and Shiu Wo streets when a fire broke out after the leak on Wednesday.

Mr Law said: ''The gas leak was caused by workers engaging in road re-construction works who had apparently ignored our warning not to use excavators to dig up the road.'' Gas company staff visited the site warning workers not to use large excavators.

''Unfortunately, our warning was not heeded which resulted in the damage of one of the low-pressure gas supply mains of about 22 by 17 centimetres big,'' he said.

Meanwhile, legislator Peggy Lam Pei Yu-dja will submit an oral question in the Legislative Council asking the administration whether it has rules and regulations governing the digging of roads.