Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung (first left), accompanied by officials of the MTR Corporation, visits the Yau Ma Tei MTR Station after a train accident there on Nov 13, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – A collision between the train and a metallic protection barrier caused a train accident in Yau Ma Tei during the weekend, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of passengers, rail operator MTR Corporation has said in its preliminary investigation report.

Two sets of doors were ripped off an MTR carriage as the train pulled into Yau Ma Tei Station on Sunday morning, disrupting train services on the Tsuen Wan Line for the rest of the day. Over 100 passengers had to walk north to the Mong Kok Station along the railway in darkness.

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After a preliminary check, the MTR, the city's sole rail operator, found that one of the bogies of the first truck deviated from the track when the train entered the platform.

The MTR Corp has been asked to submit a detailed report on the incident in two months to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents

On completion of repair work, service on the Tsuen Wan Line returned to normal on Monday morning. 

On Wednesday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government received the preliminary report submitted by MTR Corp to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD).

The Transport and Logistics Bureau said the preliminary report gave an account of the incident, initial findings on its cause, and the rail operator’s immediate incident handling and future follow-up work. 

The government is examining the report.

The MTR Corp has been asked to submit a detailed report on the incident, together with improvement measures and an implementation plan, in two months to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

The rail firm has set up an investigation panel to conduct a detailed investigation to identify the root cause of the incident. Relevant government departments will also take part in the probe, the government said in a statement.

The EMSD said it immediately started an investigation after the incident, including on-site inspection of the incident site and the train concerned, and probed the incident’s cause in various directions including foreign objects and the condition of mechanical parts.

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The department will continue to follow up on the investigation. 

It will also engage independent experts to advise on the improvement measures, facility condition assessment and maintenance plan to ensure appropriate maintenance measures and safe railway operation.