Over 100 fish die at Tseung Kwan O estate pond, police probe suspected animal cruelty

More than 100 fish were found dead at a pond in King Lam Estate in Tseung Kwan O, prompting police to classify the case as suspected cruelty to animals and launch an investigation.

Police said they received a report at about 8pm on Monday that a number of fish had been discovered inside three plastic containers and an inflatable pool near a pond in the estate, with some already dead. Officers suspect the fish may have been improperly handled.

Investigations are underway to trace six cleaning company staff members, men and women aged between 50 and 65, who were working at the site. The case has been handed to the Tseung Kwan O Police District’s Animal Crime Team. No arrests have been made so far.

According to sources at the scene, outsourced cleaners had been carrying out pond-cleaning work earlier in the day and transferred fish and turtles from the pond into plastic boxes and an inflatable pool. It is suspected that a malfunctioning air pump caused oxygen depletion, leading to the deaths of a large number of fish.

Residents expressed anger and distress over the incident, criticizing the management company’s handling of the situation and describing it as highly inappropriate.

A resident surnamed Lai said he saw fish being kept in a round inflatable pool with what appeared to be a very small air pump.

“The pump was as small as a child’s toy, and the fish were all sticking their heads out of the water. I told them the fish would definitely die. At least a hundred of them died,” he said.

Lai added that many of the fish, including koi fish, had been purchased and released into the pond by residents, with some costing more than HK$1,000 each.

“Now they’re all gone. We’re heartbroken. There was a batch of turtles before that were also moved away, and nothing was heard about them afterward. Now it’s the fish — hundreds of big and small ones. We’ve lived here for decades, and everyone feels very upset,” he said.

He criticized the management company for failing to handle routine pond maintenance properly.

“There are two ponds. They should clean one pond and move the fish to the other first. That’s how the previous management did it. They don’t know how to handle fish at all,” he said.

Another resident surnamed Chu also condemned the management company, saying she was puzzled when she saw fish being kept in what looked like a child’s inflatable swimming pool.

“When I went out later at night, all the fish had turned over. There wasn’t enough oxygen. My home fish tank is even bigger than that. I couldn’t sleep all night. It’s heartbreaking. This is killing them,” she said.

Chu questioned why the fish were not temporarily placed in the nearby turtle pond before being returned after cleaning.

Police said investigations are continuing to determine whether any criminal liability is involved.