Pedestrian escapes serious injury after elderly woman leaps to death and lands on her at coronavirus-hit Hong Kong estate
- The elderly woman, 72, had jumped from her 18th-floor flat and landed on a truck before tumbling off and hitting the younger resident, who was walking back after being tested at a Covid-19 mobile unit
- Police found a suicide note in the home of the victim
A pedestrian escaped serious injuries in Hong Kong on Tuesday when an elderly woman who had leapt to her death from a public housing block landed on her.
The two women, aged 46 and 72, were residents of Luen Yan House of Kwai Luen Estate in Kwai Chung, which was among six buildings issued with compulsory testing notices on Monday after confirmed cases of Covid-19 were found in the blocks.
The 49-year-old woman, surnamed Cao, had just completed her coronavirus test at a mobile unit at the estate soon after 10.15am, and had reached the outside Luen Yan House when the elderly woman, surnamed Chan, jumped out of the window from an 18th-floor flat and hit her.
According to police, Chan first fell onto the roof of another truck, and one of her limbs hit Cao when she tumbled off to the ground.
Police said this vehicle was also used as a mobile testing centre, but it was on standby at the time of the incident.
Chan was sent unconscious to Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan, where she was certified dead at around 11am.
A police spokesman said Cao sustained minor head and abdominal injuries. She was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment.
Officers found a suicide note from the flat of the 72-year-old woman. Police said the initial investigation found nothing suspicious.
A police source said it was not known if Chan had received a Covid-19 test. He said samples would be collected from the body and analysed if necessary.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255
