Two Hong Kong employees of contractor have licences suspended over Langham Place escalator incident

Two Otis Elevator Company workers have had their licences suspended for six months over ­allegations of negligence as the government launches a criminal investigation into an escalator ­accident at one of Hong Kong’s most popular shopping malls.

An investigative report released yesterday by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department concluded that the two had failed to “ensure that the escalator works that they had undertaken were carried out properly and safely”, and were deemed not fit and proper to be registered under the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance.

Investigators blamed the accident on a “rare” simultaneous malfunction. The escalator’s main drive chain was broken at the time due to metal fatigue, and the device that monitored its operation contained sticky grease formed from lubricant and dust. One of the two compression springs in the device was also found to be locked.

The accumulation of grease and the locked spring led to the failure of the device to activate the auxiliary brake to stop the escalator, the department said.