Contractor Ordered to Fix Faulty Lifts at Queen Mary Hospital
Thestandard · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
The Hong Kong government has ordered the contractor responsible for Queen Mary Hospital's new clinical block to fix serious lift defects that have left most of the building's elevators inoperable. Only four out of 28 lifts in Clinical Block 1 are currently working after a series of safety incidents that have included people becoming trapped inside elevators. The malfunctioning lifts have prevented the opening of clinical services at the HK$13.5 billion redevelopment project's first phase, with the government warning it may take legal action over delays.
Key Points
- Of 25 reported lift failures between July last year and June this year, seven occurred in Clinical Block 1 under contractor Anlev Elex Elevator Limited
- The 34-storey Clinical Block 1 was completed in 2025 and was originally expected to begin clinical service relocation from the end of last year
- In one incident, a lift plunged two to three floors, and escalators maintained by the same contractor also malfunctioned
- The Architectural Services Department, EMSD, and Hospital Authority have instructed the contractor to complete all rectifications by Q4 2025
- A veteran electrical engineer described having 24 of 28 lifts malfunction in a new building as highly unusual
Why It Matters
The malfunctioning lifts affect the hospital's ability to operate its accident and emergency department, emergency medicine wards, diagnostic radiology, and intensive care units from the new facility . The situation highlights quality control concerns in major government infrastructure projects, with a lawmaker calling the situation "unacceptable" and warning it could further delay the HK$13.5 billion redevelopment . As Hong Kong's largest public hospital on Hong Kong Island, delays at Queen Mary Hospital impact healthcare services for a significant portion of the territory's population.
The malfunctioning lifts affect the hospital's ability to operate its accident and emergency department, emergency medicine wards, diagnostic radiology, and intensive care units from the new facility . The situation highlights quality control concerns in major government infrastructure projects, with a lawmaker calling the situation "unacceptable" and warning it could further delay the HK$13.5 billion redevelopment . As Hong Kong's largest public hospital on Hong Kong Island, delays at Queen Mary Hospital impact healthcare services for a significant portion of the territory's population.