Firefighters receive 179 reports of people trapped in lifts after sudden voltage dip
Hong Kong firefighters have received over 200 reports of people trapped in lifts and falsely triggered fire alarms after a sudden drop in voltage along a Kowloon power supply line on Tuesday afternoon. The Fire Services Department (FSD) said it had handled 179 cases of lift entrapment and 39 false alarms as of 3pm on […]
On Tuesday afternoon, Hong Kong experienced a sudden drop in voltage along a Kowloon power supply line, triggering 179 reports of people trapped in lifts and resulting in 39 false fire alarms. The Fire Services Department (FSD) recorded 55 lift entrapment cases and 22 false alarm reports within ten minutes of the voltage dip, which occurred around 1.09pm in the Yau Tsim Mong district.
The incident caused some dimming and flickering of lights and affected power-sensitive devices in parts of Kowloon and the New Territories, according to CLP Power, one of Hong Kong's utility providers. Four women, aged 68 to 71, suffered injuries during the lift entrapments and were taken to the hospital, with three conscious and one refusing treatment after receiving initial care.
The FSD's response times averaged 49 minutes for false alarms and about an hour and 20 minutes for lift entrapment cases. CLP Power is investigating the cause of the voltage drop and has apologized for the inconvenience caused to residents.
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