Authorities have identified deficiencies in lift installations at dozens of buildings following an investigation into a contractor’s failure to install required fire-safety components. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) revealed that inspections of lifts installed by Taizoom Elevator uncovered 39 buildings with lifts missing crucial door-frame parts. The findings emerged after concerns were raised over faulty replacement works carried out by the company.
As of the afternoon of October 17, the EMSD said it had inspected lifts in 39 locations, including one within a housing estate, with the remainder being standalone buildings. All lifts examined were found to lack proper door-frame components, which play a critical role in fire safety and smoke control, according to department officials. The names of affected buildings were not publicly disclosed due to private ownership, though property management companies and owners have been notified. The EMSD also announced that it had expanded inspections to other lift contractors operating citywide.
In a related development, police arrested three individuals linked to Taizoom Elevator on suspicion of deception. Among those detained were a 79-year-old director and shareholder, along with two registered lift engineers, aged 63 and 82, who had examined and certified the lift installations. These arrests followed the EMSD’s report, triggered by a complaint, that Taizoom had installed fire-resistant doors in lifts at residential estates without the required door frames, submitting false documentation to certify completion of the work. The two estates involved were Tsui Ping (North) Estate in Kwun Tong, where nine lifts had been replaced, and Pok Hong Estate in Sha Tin, with 39 lifts affected.
Sources familiar with the investigation indicated that the missing door-frame components are essential smoke control devices, and that Taizoom personnel allegedly concealed the defects intentionally while falsely certifying compliance with contractual and safety standards. Police raids on the company’s office in Chai Wan are part of the ongoing probe.
Taizoom Elevator’s recent performance ratings from the EMSD placed the company at a moderate level, with scores of three out of five in both service quality and safety performance, comparable to other firms.
The current incidents bear resemblance to a previous controversy two months prior, when 24 of 28 lifts in a new clinical block at Queen Mary Hospital were deemed unfit for use. In that case, Law Wing-chai, a registered lift engineer involved in the hospital project, was sentenced to 160 hours of community service after being found guilty of submitting misleading documents and improperly issuing safety certificates.
Experts have expressed concern over the implications of these incidents for public trust. Professor Ho Wing-ip, from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Polytechnic University, noted that while it is unclear if these cases represent isolated lapses or more widespread problems, a thorough review of regulatory processes may be needed to restore confidence in the sector. The EMSD has pledged to conduct a comprehensive review and provide updates to the public as investigations continue.