25th December 2024 – (Hong Kong) An incident occurred early this morning on the MTR East Rail Line, where a train departing from Sha Tin Station towards Lok Ma Chau had both sets of doors open, raising safety concerns. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the situation has been communicated to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.
According to MTR Corporation, around 5.30am, the train’s operator opened the platform-side doors to allow passengers to board but failed to notice that the opposite doors, which had been opened during pre-departure testing, remained ajar. The train’s safety design prevented it from moving under these conditions, and the operator quickly closed the doors upon realising the oversight. Approximately 100 passengers were on board at the time, all of whom were unharmed and subsequently transferred to the next train.
Initial investigations suggest that human error may have contributed to the incident, prompting the temporary suspension of the train operator’s duties as part of the inquiry. MTR Corporation has reiterated its commitment to ensuring safety and has reminded all staff to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The train line had been operating overnight to accommodate Christmas Eve traffic, and this morning’s service was the first in the direction of Lok Ma Chau. The MTR has assured the public that thorough safety checks are being conducted following the incident.
