Two construction workers were killed and five others injured yesterday after a huge crane collapsed on a building site at the former Mitsukoshi Department store in Causeway Bay. The condition of the two of the injured was stated to be serious.

The government announced a thorough investigation of the incident and the Labour Department will inspect all construction sites in the city.

The incident took place at 500 Hennessy Road in the morning as the fire service was informed of the crane collapse at 9:44 am. Firemen rushed to the scene within minutes and more than 100 firemen were deployed for rescue work.

It took about eight hours to remove the dead bodies trapped under the 24-ton crane, Central Senior Divisional Fire Officer Kong Bing-lam said.

The rescue operation was difficult as firemen found that the three workers were trapped in the bended tower, and two trapped between the collapsed crane and the rooftop.

Two workers aged 49 and 51 were certified dead by doctors at the scene.

Kong said the accident happened when the workers were lowering the crane.

He said three bulldozers were deployed to stabilize the crane before rescue efforts were taken.

"The crane faced a risk of further collapse. We had to ensure the safety of both the firemen and the workers," Kong said.

A 65-year-old woman surnamed Wu, who runs a fruit shop near the scene, said:"I heard a huge thud and people on the street started scampering for safety."

Another woman surnamed Wong, who was working inside a building opposite to the site, said she had seen the construction workers fleeing the site.

The developer of the site, Hysan Development, said demolition work had been stopped immediately, pending a detailed investigation. The developer was in discussion with the main contractor China Overseas Building Construction.

In April, a worker was crushed to death by a bulldozer at the same site.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung, however, said the site had passed inspection test last month.

Cheung said the number of construction site accidents had reduced from 250 injuries per 1,000 workers in 1997 to 65 last year, but the community should be alerted on safety issue as there were already 13 deaths this year, higher than the six recorded in the same period last year.

Cheung said the Labour Department would inspect all construction sites with cranes from today.

Figures from the department showed that there were five construction accidents involving tower cranes since 2002.

"We need to step up inspection and urge our workers to be cautious," he said.

Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees' General Union chairman Choi Chun-wa said workers at the site had informed the management on Monday that the tower crane was shaking slightly.

"But the management did not take any measures and the accident happened," he said.

Choi said existing regulations did not demand risk assessment and third party approval for tower crane lowering works. He said regulations forcing the contractor to complete risk assessment and obtain approval from Labour Department should be drafted.

Engineer Greg Wong said the crane collapsed as it had lost balance during the time of lowering.

Polytechnic University engineering professor Lo Kok-keung said it was possible that the screws of the tower crane were not properly fixed.

"The crane is very heavy, and it will easily lose balance if the screws are not fixed. It is possible that the workers have not followed proper procedures," he said.

Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims chairman Chan Kam-hong said the government should conduct a comprehensive investigation and make the report public.

Chan said it was not the first time workers had been killed by cranes. In 2005, a worker was killed after a crane collapsed at a construction site in Kwai Chung.

(HK Edition 07/11/2007 page6)