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Unconscious workers taken to hospital after pipe explosion at Tuen Mun water treatment plant
PUBLISHED : Friday, 14 February, 2014, 5:26pm
UPDATED : Friday, 14 February, 2014, 5:29pm
Clifford Lo [email protected]
An underground pipe has exploded at the Tuen Mun water treatment works. Photo: Nora Tam
More than 110 firefighters and paramedics have been sent to the Tuen Mun water treatment works after seven workers became trapped in an underground pipe that burst into flames on Friday afternoon.
The seven workers have been rescued by firefighters, a police spokeswoman said at 4.30pm.
Three of the workers sustained injuries and have been sent to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment, while the other four were uninjured.
“Two of the injured men were unconscious while being taken to hospital,” the spokeswoman said.
The blaze broke out in the Water Supplies Department’s water treatment works on Fu Tei Road in Tuen Mun at about 2.45pm, according to police.
Twenty fire engines and five ambulances were dispatched to the scene and a total of 115 firemen and paramedics were deployed in response to the incident.
The Fire Services Department said they were still looking into the nature of the blaze.
A water department spokesman said an initial investigation showed a group of workers was carrying out work in the metal pipe, which is one metre in diameter, at the time of the incident.
The water department is still investigating the cause of the explosion.
The spokesman said the workers were all employees of a department contractor.
Water treatment work at the plant was suspended last month because of repair work, according to the department.
