A cyclist died after a fire engine struck him and pinned him under its wheels, then crashed into a private car and mounted a pavement in Sai Kung.

The 60-year-old Columbian cyclist, who sustained critical injuries, died at Tseung Kwan O Hospital.

The 50-year-old driver of the fire engine attached to Shun Lee Fire Station in Kwun Tong and the 64-year-old driver of the private car were sent to the same hospital conscious.

Both left the hospital after treatment. The driver of the fire engine was heading to Kowloon along Hiram’s Highway near Hebe Haven when he suddenly lost control of the vehicle just before 2pm yesterday.

It then swayed to the left, knocking down the cyclist before pinning him underneath the engine, according to reports from the scene.

The fire engine then skidded and crashed into a parked private car.

The highway was left with a pool of blood, the fire engine’s detached bumpers, vehicle registration plate and internal components, the bicycle’s contorted wheels, the cyclist’s wallet and the pavement’s side railings.

The fire engine had severe dents and scratched marks on its right-hand side, whereas the bicycle had its internal components trapped underneath.

The cyclist who stays at Sai Kung District Community Center was to teach English on the mainland early this year but was forced to stay behind in Hong Kong due to Covid-19.

Ho Siu-lun, a former Hong Kong cycling team member, said that the narrow Hiram’s Highway often sees traffic gridlock and vehicles usually honk at cyclists ahead of them.

Despite there being less traffic at night, he said accidents were bound to happen, as drivers tend to be less attentive at night.

Cyclist dies in fire engine crash