Development Bureau Reviews Elevator Reports, Aims to Submit Investigation to CE by Mid-October
HK01 · 6 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Development Bureau has confirmed receipt of investigation reports from the Architectural Services Department and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department concerning the elevator failures at Queen Mary Hospital's Clinical Block 1. The bureau is now reviewing the documents and targeting mid-October to submit its findings to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. The elevator issues, which were exposed by media in August, stem from structural dimensional deviations in the elevator shaft walls that caused insufficient installation clearance. Of the 28 elevators in the new clinical block, which began phased operation in November last year, 24 have experienced problems, with only four remaining operational.
Key Points
- Queen Mary Hospital's Clinical Block 1, which entered phased operation starting November 2026, houses 28 elevators, of which 24 have experienced faults
- Investigation reports from the Architectural Services Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department have been submitted to the Development Bureau
- Development Bureau Director Bernadette Linn acknowledged in September that elevator shaft wall dimensions contained deviations, resulting in insufficient installation clearance
- Chief Executive John Lee has demanded a report within one month, with targets set for completion by mid-October and accountability measures
- The bureau is examining whether deficiencies existed in the construction, acceptance, and supervision processes, and exploring optimization opportunities for similar projects
Why It Matters
The elevator failures at Queen Mary Hospital have directly impacted clinical services in the new facility, delaying the provision of medical care to patients. The incident exposes potential gaps in Hong Kong's government construction project supervision and acceptance mechanisms, prompting calls for systemic improvements to prevent similar failures in other public infrastructure projects .