'Missing fire door frames unacceptable'

A surveyor has stated that the absence of fire-resistant door frames from 48 newly installed lifts at two public housing estates is rare and unacceptable. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has referred the lift contractor to the police for potential fraud after discovering missing components in 39 lifts at Pok Hong Estate and nine lifts at Tsui Ping (North) Estate.

The department noted that the company submitted fire-resisting rating certificates for the doorsets, but only the fire doors were installed—while the corresponding door frame components were absent. Vincent Ho, president of the Hong Kong Institute of Building Safety, emphasized that the installation of lift doors requires basic skills, and the incident highlights insufficient supervision.

Door frames, which work in conjunction with landing doors at each floor, are crucial for maintaining fire resistance; without them, the lift doors would not achieve long-term fire protection. Ho stressed that a complete elevator installation prevents fire or strong smoke from entering the lift shaft. With extensive experience in the industry, Ho claimed he has never encountered such a situation before.

Ho Wing-ip, an electrical and building services engineer, expressed disappointment, attributing the incident to the failure of inspection and oversight mechanisms across the industry. He believes that frontline workers, supervisors, the firm, and government departments involved should conduct a thorough review and consider improvement measures.