Fire engines were dispatched to various locations in Mong Kok and Tai Kok Tsui on Friday, after a suspected gas leak was reported. Ambulances were also called after students in the area were reportedly taken unwell.
At around 1pm, 52 students at HKMA David Li Kwok Po College in Tai Kok Tsui were hospitalised after breathing in the suspected gas, Oriental Daily reported.
Twelve students from nearby Yaumati Catholic Primary School were also reportedly hospitalised.
Fire engines were called to Olympic Station, as passengers complained of the strong odour.
@mtrupdate Very strong smell of gasoline / gas on Kowloon station platform. Notified them and the fire engines on the way.
— Phillip 霍 鐮 方 (@Phillip_In_HK) March 18, 2016
@krislc @mtrupdate Didn’t observe anyone feeling sick – apart from myself. The smell was still in the train up until we passed Nam Cheong.
— Phillip 霍 鐮 方 (@Phillip_In_HK) March 18, 2016
Some restaurants in Mong Kok area were not able to use gas temporarily, reported Oriental Daily, and some of the roads were closed off.
A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and China Gas Company told Oriental Daily that staff members were looking into the matter but have not found any gas leaks so far.
An MTR spokesperson told HKFP, “at around 12 pm, Kowloon MTR station received passenger reports that they smelled an odour on a Tung Chung line train towards Hong Kong Station. Our staff checked the train at Hong Kong Station, and everything was normal.”
The spokesperson also said that passengers reported an odour around Olympic Station, but that the smell did not come from there.
“The related authorities are outside Olympic Station in Hoi Fai Road to investigate where the smell comes from,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also said that they have checked trains and rail lines, as well as Nam Cheong, Austin and Mong Kok stations, and found nothing unusual. MTR added that all train services remain normal and no passengers were reported unwell.
