At least 90 reports of individuals trapped in lifts and 30 fire alarms were activated across Hong Kong Island on Thursday morning after a brief voltage dip hit multiple districts.
According to the Fire Services Department, nearly 100 lift entrapment reports along with about 30 fire alarm activations were received across Central, Sheung Wan, North Point, Chai Wan, and Aberdeen starting at 9.24am.
Among the incidents, three involved people reported feeling unwell, with ambulances placed on standby.
The incidents also reportedly affected facilities including the Customs Headquarters Building in North Point and HSBC Main Building in Central, where a full building blackout occurred, leaving ATMs and other equipment non-operational.
In response, HK Electric explained the interruption was caused by a fault in the interconnection line between its network and CLP Power this morning, leading to a momentary voltage dip.
While it is confirmed that supply voltage resumed after the incident at 9.22am, the firm cautioned that electric appliances sensitive to voltage changes — such as computers, lifts, and air conditioners — might be affected.
HK Electric advised electrical personnel to reset affected equipment before returning systems to normal operation and apologized for the inconvenience.
