Kwun Tong Line trains skipped Lam Tin during the morning commute on Oct. 14 after smoke came from equipment on the station platform. MTR announced the disruption at 8:56am, saying trains would not stop there for safety reasons, and temporarily closed the station.
MTR arranged a free shuttle between Kwun Tong and Yau Tong, with passengers able to board or alight at Lam Tin. KMB and Citybus also increased service on some routes. By 9:56am, MTR said Kwun Tong Line services were gradually returning to normal.
The morning disruption came after a separate fire involving equipment beside the tracks near Lam Tin at about 6pm on Oct. 13. It temporarily suspended service between Kwun Tong and Tiu Keng Leng and closed Lam Tin. MTR said service began gradually returning at about 6:30pm, after safety checks and time for the points equipment to cool.
Gary Zhang Xinyu, chair of the Smart Mobility Alliance and a former legislator, said the incidents involved different systems and locations. He urged MTR to review equipment maintenance and improve staff training.
A 90-year-old woman interviewed by RTHK said she had to walk down a large flight of stairs and that even younger people struggled with them. Another commuter said she would have chosen a different route if she had known about the disruption before leaving Tseung Kwan O.