Hong Kong police investigate 2 accidents involving drivers killed by own vehicles
- Force receives report on Wednesday that school bus driver had accidentally fallen out of his vehicle and was run over by it.
- Hours later another driver was pinned between his container truck and several water tanks after vehicle suddenly rolled backwards
The force said on Thursday it received a report at 4.11pm on Wednesday that a school bus driver had accidentally fallen out of his vehicle and was run over by it.
Hours later another driver was pinned between his container truck and several water tanks after the vehicle suddenly rolled backwards.
Police appealed for witnesses with knowledge of either incident to come forward.
The force said the first victim, a 47-year old man surnamed Choi, was driving a school bus and preparing to leave a car park at a housing estate on Hammer Hill Road in Wong Tai Sin.
“The school bus reportedly skidded forward and the man was rolled over by the school bus,” a police spokesman said. ENG STATEMENT
A source said the victim was trying to pay with his Octopus card to exit the parking zone when he fell out of the bus.
The victim was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei with multiple injuries, later fell unconscious and was certified dead at 9.39pm.
Choi was a driver for the Oasis English Kindergarten in Kwai Chung.
Principal Julie Park Jee-sang told the Post on Thursday that Choi had only started working for the school in January.
“At the moment, everyone is really saddened by the news,” she said. “We are going to do whatever we can in our power to help his family.”
The force’s Kowloon East special traffic investigation team is handling the case, with witnesses urged to contact them at 3661 0264 or 3661 0277.
The second fatal accident, in Tin Shui Wai, was reported at 6.35pm on Wednesday.
Police said an initial investigation showed the victim, a 67-year-old man surnamed Yuen, parked his container truck on a slope at around 2.40pm.
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The vehicle then rolled backwards after he stepped out, knocking him over and trapping him between the truck and several water tanks, the force said.
Yuen suffered multiple injuries and was certified dead at the scene.
Officers from the New Territories north special traffic investigation team are following up on the case, with witnesses urged to contact police at 3661 3800.
The city logged 2,400 traffic accidents resulting in injuries in the first two months of this year, with 15 fatalities, according to provisional police data.
