A 44-year-old woman was found unresponsive in her subdivided flat on Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po. Initial reports suggest her death may be linked to an electric shock, although she had also been suffering from acute pharyngitis in recent days.
The deceased, identified as Ms. Chao, was discovered by her husband, Mr. Fong, after he received an alarming notification about her condition that morning. Upon arriving at the flat, he found his wife slumped in the bathroom, where she was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Neighbors reported electrical issues in the building to the landlord just the night before. Mr. Fong believes his wife may have inadvertently touched an electric water heater that was leaking electricity, a theory supported by preliminary investigations from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). The department noted that the unit’s circuit breaker might not have tripped due to the fault.
The flat, located at 142 Ki Lung Street, is part of a building with several subdivided units, each measuring between 100 and 200 square feet. Residents had raised concerns about possible electrical hazards in their bathrooms. However, the landlord was unable to reach Ms. Chao until the following day.
Reports indicate that Mr. Fong and Ms. Chao had been married for over 20 years but had been living apart for several years, although they remained in contact. Ms. Chao had recently received treatment for her throat condition in mainland China.
In response to the incident, the EMSD sent a team to investigate the suspected electrical accident. They have since disconnected power to the unit and issued a notice to the landlord to hire a licensed electrical contractor. Power will not be restored until the safety of all electrical installations is ensured.
Neighbors also experienced electrical issues the night before. One neighbor suffered a minor electric shock while showering and sought help from another neighbor, who also experienced a minor shock. Both informed the landlord of the issue.
It is understood that the landlord purchased the entire building in 2007 but has not conducted any repairs or inspections on the electrical system since then. The main electrical box is located inside the deceased’s subdivided flat, and reports indicate that the circuit tripped in that area shortly after the incident.
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