19th January 2025 – (Hong Kong) A 44-year-old woman was discovered unresponsive in her subdivided flat on Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, yesterday. Initial reports suggest that 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 found by her husband, Mr Fong, who arrived at the flat after receiving a distressing notification earlier that morning. Upon arrival, he found his wife slumped in the bathroom, where she was later pronounced dead at the scene.
It has emerged that residents in the building had reported issues with electrical leakage to the landlord just the night before. Mr Fong speculated that his wife might have inadvertently touched the electric water heater while it was leaking electricity, a claim supported by preliminary investigations from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), which noted that the unit’s circuit breaker may not have tripped due to the fault.
The flat, located at 142 Ki Lung Street, is one of several subdivided units in the building, each measuring between 100 and 200 square feet. Neighbours had also expressed concerns about potential electrical issues in their bathrooms, but the landlord had been unable to contact 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 maintained contact. Ms Chao had recently undergone treatment in mainland China for her throat condition.
In response to the incident, the EMSD dispatched a team to investigate the suspected electrical accident and has since cut off power to the unit. The department issued a notice to the landlord, instructing them to hire a licensed electrical contractor to ensure the safety of all electrical installations before power can be restored.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred in a subdivided flat. The neighbours of Chao, who also live in subdivided flats, experienced electrical issues in their bathroom the night before (17th). Around 8pm that evening, one neighbour suffered a minor electric shock while showering and subsequently sought help from another neighbour, borrowing their bathroom for a shower. During this time, they experienced another minor electric shock, prompting them to immediately inform the landlord for follow-up.
The landlord was unable to reach the deceased until the following morning when they visited the flat and discovered the situation. It is understood that the landlord purchased the entire unit in 2007 and 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 there were reports of circuit tripping in that area afterwards.