Meter-room blast leaves welders with burns

Two welders sustained facial burns in an explosion that occurred in a meter room at Greenwood Terrace, Chai Wan, yesterday.

The blast happened while the welders, aged 35 and 36, were drilling and welding outside the room at block six of the estate.

It caused significant damage, sending the metal door into a 10-meter flight arc, where it landed all bent out of shape.

The two were conscious while being taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, where they were put in masks after treatment.

A five-second video clip, circulating online, captured the incident around 1.30 pm while the welders were working on an elevated platform.

Then the explosion sends the door flying, narrowly missing a female passer-by.

The two workers had been installing a ladder on the building's external wall at the time of the explosion.

Leung, the person in charge of the project, said he had been on his way to retrieve tools from their truck when the blast happened.

"Our driver said he saw a fireball erupting from the meter room before it exploded. It was so loud and the door was even blown away," he said.

"I was lucky as I left the scene, or I would have died," he said, adding the workers did not suffer serious injuries. Power supply to the meter room was temporarily suspended by Hongkong Electric to allow property management personnel and firefighters to assess the damage and carry out necessary repairs.

Hongkong Electric assured the public that its electricity supply and power facilities remained unaffected.

Engineering staff were dispatched to the room to provide assistance and support.

"We will restore power supply immediately after the estate's management staff finishes repairing work and HKE staff ensures the safety of power facilities in the meter room," it said.