Displaced fence blamed for MTR derailment
The Standard
A displaced metal fence could have caused the train derailment at Yau Ma Tei MTR station on Sunday morning, which saw two sets of carriage doors ripped off.
That came as transport chief Lam Sai-hung yesterday said a preliminary report must be with authorities by tomorrow, with a full report in two months.
The derailment caused the suspension of services between Lai King and Jordan stations for around 15 hours after the carriage doors were ripped off as the front part of the train derailed alongside the station platform, leading to the evacuation of some 750 passengers.
Some 150 of them were forced to walk through the tunnel on their own to Mong Kok station.
Lam said he has told MTR Corp to submit an evaluation of the train evacuation and follow-up action. That would be in addition to the preliminary report and detailed findings, which would include how similar accidents can be prevented.
He noted the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department wants the operator to inspect all near-rail structures and facilities to check they are secure.
The MTRC revealed some initial findings as services on the Tsuen Wan Line resumed fully, with a first train departing on schedule at 6am.
Operations director Tony Lee Kar-yun said metal fence on the side of the track that guarded facilities, including the ventilation system, had moved and hit the train, leading to the derailment.
He said some 30 metal fences exist along urban lines - the Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Tseung Kwan O and Island lines - and all were checked before services started yesterday.
He said efforts on Sunday night and the early hours of yesterday focused on repairs to resume services as soon as possible, and the preliminary cause was based on observation. So other reasons were not ruled out.
On whether negligence or human error had been a factor in the derailment, Lee said the corporation was hiring outside experts for an in-depth investigation.
"We will review the matter from several perspectives, for example maintenance and repair arrangements, usage and wear and tear," he said, adding that the original design will be scrutinized.
New Territories North West legislator Michael Tien Puk-sun, who chaired the KCR Corp before it was merged with the MTRC, said British-made trains in service for four decades had worn out.
He said the MTR has already purchased 93 new eight-carriage trains made in the mainland to replace the old ones over the next several years, but he urged a speeding up of the process.
The MTRC was also receiving adverse criticism over evacuation arrangements after some passengers said trains were running on the Kwun Tong Line in the opposite direction in the rail tunnel as they were walking to Mong Kok station.
There were also questions about how many personnel were deployed to help the 150 people through the tunnel.
Commuters said they plan to stay clear of train doors after the incident, which was the MTR's second door-ripping incident in less than a year.
"We never know when accidents may happen, so it's safer to stay in the center," said rider Tam. "But it's hard to ditch the railway completely because it's the most convenient transport."
A commuter named Fung on the Tsuen Wan Line said: "People seemed a little scared and gazed at one another when the train got to Yau Ma Tei."
Asked how he coped with the moment, Fung said: "I prayed."
I guess they mean the wheels remained close to the rail they were supposed to be on, as opposed to a visually dramatic parting of ways.