A surprise inspection found that 48 replacement lifts at Tsui Ping (North) Estate and Pok Hong Estate were missing fire-resistant door-frame components, despite fire-performance test reports having been submitted and the work reported complete. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said the contractor had installed the fire-resistant doors but not their associated frames.
The department classified the missing components as a breach, but said the lifts could continue operating safely. It has directed TAIZOOM ELEVATOR COMPANY (HK) LIMITED to reinspect the lifts and fit the missing frames at its own expense.
Repairs are expected to begin shortly and be completed in stages within a month. Each lift will be taken out of service while its frame is installed, a job expected to take one to two days. The department said it would try to schedule the work outside busy periods and supervise the repairs, with the contractor required to keep lift lobbies and building passageways clear and maintain fire-safety measures.
The department plans to inspect all lifts installed by the contractor within three days, checking test reports and whether any other frames are missing. It has also begun checking lifts installed by other registered contractors and said it would require them to carry out similar checks and submit reports, with spot checks by the department. Those checks are expected to be completed within a month.
The department said preliminary evidence suggested possible serious negligence or misconduct in the contractor’s lift works. It will refer the matter to police, saying it has not ruled out fraud or false representations.
Separately, The Hong Kong Housing Authority said a lift-replacement contract at Fu Heng Estate had not been awarded. It has advised the estate’s owners’ corporation to pause the award while it considers next steps.