Power failure disrupts Tseung Kwan O Line during rush hour

A power supply failure brought severe disruptions to MTR's Tseung Kwan O Line service Thursday afternoon, stranding commuters during the evening peak period.

The rail operator reported the incident at 5.22pm, confirming an electrical fault between North Point and Tiu Keng Leng stations that triggered the automatic circuit breaker.

The rail giant added that the engineers are onsite troubleshooting the power supply issue.

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At Tseung Kwan O Station, chaotic scenes unfolded as hundreds of passengers crowded the platforms and concourse awaiting updates. 

Many opted for refunds at ticket offices, creating long queues, while adjacent bus termini experienced heavy congestion as commuters sought alternative transport.

Citybus has enhanced cross-harbor bus services connecting Hong Kong Island with Tseung Kwan O and East Kowloon following the suspension of MTR's Tseung Kwan O Line service.

The transport operator has prioritized frequency increases on Route 694S, which provides direct service from Siu Sai Wan, Sai Wan Ho, North Point, and Taikoo to LOHAS Park, Tseung Kwan O, and Tiu Keng Leng. Additional capacity has been added to routes 601, 619X, 690S, 694, 790 and E22A to help manage peak-hour passenger flows during the rail outage.

KMB said it would strengthen services on routes 98, 98A and 296A to and from Tseung Kwan O, as well as cross-harbour routes 601, 603, 613, 619, 690 and 690S between East Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O.

The rail giant has also arranged shuttle bus routes for the affected stations, including Tseung Kwan O Station to LOHAS Park Station, Tiu Keng Leng Station to Po Lam Station, and East Tsim Sha Tsui Station to Tseung Kwan O Station.

Meanwhile, a train between North Point Station and Quarry Bay Station was suspected to have stalled due to a fire, causing a temporary stop inside the tunnel.

It is not yet known whether the two incidents are related.

The rail giant confirmed trains are now running between Tiu Keng Leng and Po Lam stations at approximately six-minute intervals, while service between Tseung Kwan O and LOHAS Park stations has resumed at ten-minute intervals.

(Updated 9.21pm)

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