Family sues on window death

The family of a mainland tourist killed in early 2019 by a window that fell from The Mira Hong Kong hotel is seeking compensation.

Zuo Shaofeng, a 24-year-old woman, was hit by a falling window from the five-star hotel on January 21 and died the same day.

A family member, Pan Ronglan, filed a writ last Friday to the High Court, suing cleaner Rai Sabita Kumari and Miramar Hotel Management Company.

The plaintiffs of the writ are the deceased Zuo and Pan, who is acting on behalf of other dependents of Zuo.

The claim is for monetary compensation and personal injuries.

The writ seeks damages as the cleaner had allegedly neglected or breached a statutory duty in the course of her employment, which led to Zuo's death.

"The first and second plaintiffs claim damages together with interest and costs under the Fatal Accidents Ordinance and the Law Amendment and Reform (Consolidation) Ordinance," said the writ.

It is also said that Miramar Hotel Management Company had a liability as the employer of the cleaner. The writ did not spell how much compensation was appropriate.

Zuo, from Foshan, was walking with her boyfriend outside the hotel on Nathan Road on the morning of January 21, 2019 when the 144 x 30-centimeter aluminum window from the hotel's 16th floor struck her on the head.

She fell unconscious in a pool of blood and was pronounced dead on the same day at noon.

Her boyfriend, surnamed Huang, 36, was slightly injured and left Queen Elizabeth Hospital after treatment.

Police arrested a 39-year-old Nepalese cleaner on the same day.

A day after the accident, a police representative said the cleaner had been granted bail and was required to report back to the police on February 2019.

Police spokesman said on Tuesday (Nov 9) that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the hotel nor the cleaner.