Dragged from wheels of death

Pedestrians raced to the rescue after a taxi rammed into people crossing a road in Tai Po yesterday. A man died but more than 20 passersby managed to lift the taxi to free a woman who was expecting.

The male driver, 63, who was sent to hospital and claimed to be unwell, was arrested for dangerous driving causing death.

The taxi driver lost control ahead of traffic lights on Kwong Fuk Road, police said.

Eyewitnesses said pedestrians, including the 37-year-old mother-to-be, Ng, and the 59-year-old man, Cheng, were crossing the road at a green light when the taxi rammed onto the island and trapped people under the vehicle.

More than 20 passersby managed to lift the taxi and push it aside. Cheng was declared dead at the scene.

Another witness said the taxi driver jumped the red light after overtaking two vehicles and drove straight into the group of people crossing the road.

Surveillance camera footage from a bakery shop showed the taxi made a sudden turn into opposite lanes after a private vehicle and a New Territories taxi stopped.

It stopped after smashing into two traffic lights.

Five women, including the wife of Cheng, two men aged up to 70, and a four-year boy, were injured. Eight of them were rushed to three hospitals in seven ambulances.

Five of the injured remained in two hospitals - four in Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin and one in Tuen Mun Hospital.

Two women and a man are in critical condition.

The woman, who is five months' pregnant, is in the intensive care unit of Prince of Wales Hospital in a serious condition with a fractured pelvis and head injuries, but the baby's condition has been "secured."

A man is in a stable condition, while two women and a man were allowed to leave after treatment.

Police said that the driver was suspected of jumping a red light.

"We will investigate the mechanics of the vehicle, the mental state of the driver and the road's situation at the time," said acting chief inspector Tsang Ka-chun. The driver passed both alcohol and drug tests.

The police are also investigating whether the driver was a substitute and if he was familiar with the traffic situation in Tai Po. The case is being investigated by the special investigation team of traffic, New Territories North.

Cheng lived in Tai Po's Fu Heng Estate with his 51-year-old wife, son and daughter.

The couple, both food packaging workers, went shopping yesterday as it was their day off.

Their children were going back and forth between the crime scene and hospital. His sister sat at the roadside, sobbing with her deceased brother's belongings in her hands. His family also reportedly hid Cheng's death from his mother, who is in her 90s, as they feared the impact on her if she knew.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan extended his condolences and concern to the families of the dead and the injured.

Ringo Lee Yiu-pui, president of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, called the accident a result of "crazy driving," saying "the cars in front of the taxi are not moving. The taxi overtook them by crossing the double white line, indicating this is a man-made mistake," he said. "He also showed no intention to stop the car as he crashed right into the traffic lights and the pedestrian island. I can only call this crazy behavior."

While noting the accident was not a matter complicated by the road's design, Lee said it was important for authorities to review the design of pedestrian islands, as it would be dangerous for pedestrians to stand in the middle of moving traffic.

He suggested authorities should consider removing these islands, allowing pedestrians to cross the road directly.