Tai Rih Elevator Faces Police Probe Over Missing Fire-Rated Components in 720 Hong Kong Units
HK01 · 9 SOURCESabout 8 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) announced on November 9 that Tai Rih Elevator Company installed approximately 720 elevators without legally required fire-rated door frame components, accounting for about 90 percent of its total Hong Kong installations. The department has referred the case to police over suspected fraud and false statements, marking a significant escalation in the regulatory response. The proposed repair solution involving J-shaped and L-shaped clips has passed fire resistance tests conducted in both the mainland and Hong Kong on November 4 and 6 respectively. EMSD has ordered the company to complete repairs for rental housing estates by mid-November, with private building work expected to take two to three months. The incident represents what authorities describe as a case of serious negligence by a single contractor, not an industry-wide problem.
Key Points
- Tai Rih Elevator installed 720 elevators without door frame components, representing about 90 percent of its total installations in Hong Kong
- Affected premises include two rental housing estates comprising 11 buildings with 48 elevators, plus 338 private residential buildings
- The proposed repair solution involves installing J-shaped and L-shaped clip door frame components, which passed fire resistance tests on November 4 and 6
- Repairs for the two rental housing estates must be completed by mid-November, while private building work is expected to take two to three months
- Inspections of elevators installed by other registered contractors confirmed all 900 units examined had proper door frame components
Why It Matters
The case has exposed potential gaps in Hong Kong's building safety oversight mechanism, as door frame components are often concealed within concrete walls, making them difficult to detect during routine inspections . EMSD has announced it will require contractors to photograph and video-record door frame installations as evidence going forward, with a comprehensive review expected to conclude by the end of this year . The incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of the three-tier inspection system for elevator certification, which currently relies heavily on contractor integrity .
The case has exposed potential gaps in Hong Kong's building safety oversight mechanism, as door frame components are often concealed within concrete walls, making them difficult to detect during routine inspections . EMSD has announced it will require contractors to photograph and video-record door frame installations as evidence going forward, with a comprehensive review expected to conclude by the end of this year . The incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of the three-tier inspection system for elevator certification, which currently relies heavily on contractor integrity .