Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3009449/tear-gas-released-central-hong-kong-after-canisters-fall-out Society
Hong Kong police officers to face disciplinary hearing after allowing tear gas canisters to fall off their vehicle on Connaught Road in Central
- Passing car hits box of canisters and releases clouds of gas
- Officers raced to incident only to realise they were the cause
Facebook photo of the scene, where tear gas was accidentally released on a main street in the city centre.
Three policemen who accidentally let tear gas canisters tumble off their vehicle onto a busy Hong Kong street and billow clouds of the chemical weapon when hit by a passing car, will face a disciplinary hearing, law enforcement sources said on Thursday.
The officers on Wednesday left a 30cm metal case, carrying four tear gas canisters and nine rounds of tear gas ammunition, on the running board of their vehicle. They drove about 2km before the case fell on Connaught Road near City Hall in Central.
The box broke open on impact and one of the canisters was hit by a passing Mercedes-Benz, triggering the release of the gas. Tear gas, classified as a chemical weapon, is commonly used for riot control.
The driver of the Mercedes stopped her car and fled to a safe distance. Emergency personnel were called in at 9.25pm when a pedestrian alerted police. Firefighters were also sent to the scene.
The section of road was closed before officers from the police’s ballistics division were called in and seized the box of riot-control canisters and ammunition from under the Mercedes, according to one source.
“Three of the tear gas canisters and nine CS bullets were found intact inside the box,” the source said. “But a crack was found on the fourth tear gas canister that fell out of the box and the gas was released from the damaged canister.”
The tear gas bullets were intended for a police gas gun used for riot control.
According to a police spokesman, no one was injured or complained of feeling unwell after the incident.
The three officers, including a station sergeant, did not realise the case had fallen off their vehicle and continued their patrol in their Emergency Unit van.
When their vehicle reached Wan Chai, they responded to the report of the tear gas incident in Central and went to the scene. The source said when they arrived, they realised the case had fallen off their emergency vehicle.
Preliminary investigation showed the anti-riot ammunition and other equipment was stored at the police barrack when the three officers returned to headquarters for dinner on Wednesday, another source said.
After their meal, they retrieved the gear and loaded it back on the vehicle before they went on patrol.
“We believe the case was left on the steps at the back of the vehicle and none of them noticed before they drove out of police headquarters,” the source said.
He said the emergency van drove all the way from Wan Chai to the Exchange Square in Central where the officers signed a check-in book.
They then continued to patrolling the streets. The box of tear gas fell off the vehicle as it was
travelling eastbound on Connaught Road Central.
“We believe negligence was involved in this case,” the source said. He said the three officers would face a disciplinary hearing.
The riot control chemical weapon is part of regular equipment carried by vehicles of the Emergency Unit, which patrol and respond 999 calls. Other gear include MP5 submachine, helmets and shields.