An elderly man was taken to hospital after a power outage in Kowloon stopped the oxygen machine he relied on, as blackouts affected several buildings in Mong Kok and Ho Man Tin late Wednesday night.
The outage began at about 11.18pm in areas around Waterloo Road and Argyle Street, leaving residents suddenly without electricity. CLP Power sent emergency repair crews to the affected area and deployed mobile generators as it worked to restore the supply.
At least three buildings on Ho Man Tin Street were also affected. The blackout extended to other nearby properties, including Metropark Hotel Mongkok, where backup power kept basic electricity running but was not enough to operate the building's air conditioning.
Buildings along Yim Po Fong Street were also reported to have lost power.
The disruption created particular difficulties for residents who depend on electrical equipment for their daily needs. In Chee Ling Building, an elderly man who uses an oxygen machine developed breathing difficulties after the equipment stopped operating during the blackout.
An ambulance took him to hospital for treatment.
About 1,000 Customers Affected
CLP said a fault in power supply equipment near Waterloo Road was responsible for the outage. The company estimated that about 1,000 customers were affected.
Emergency crews were sent to the area after the fault was reported, while mobile generators were brought in to provide temporary electricity to affected locations.
The company said its community support team was also assisting residents and coordinating with the district office, district councillors and property management companies.
The response was aimed at supporting residents while repair work continued, particularly people who could face greater difficulty during a prolonged loss of electricity.
The outage affected several densely populated areas, where residential buildings, hotels and commercial properties operate close together. The sudden loss of power meant residents had to cope with darkened buildings, reduced services and disrupted lifts.
Residents Describe Sudden Blackout
A resident surnamed Ng said the power supply disappeared at around 11.18pm.
Ng estimated that between seven and eight buildings in the surrounding area were affected, suggesting the disruption extended beyond a single property.
The blackout also caught visitors by surprise.
A tourist from Guangzhou said it was his first day in Hong Kong when the hotel suddenly lost power. Although the building was affected, one lift continued operating, allowing some movement through the property despite the wider electricity disruption.
At Metropark Hotel Mongkok, backup electricity maintained basic power after the main supply was interrupted. However, the hotel's air conditioning system was not operating, creating additional discomfort for guests during the outage.
For residents in affected buildings, the loss of electricity also raised concerns about lift operation and access to upper floors.
Firefighters Receive Lift Rescue Calls
The power failure prompted several calls to emergency services.
Police received three reports between 11.36pm and 11.50pm. No injuries were reported in those calls.
The Fire Services Department received at least two reports involving people trapped inside lifts.
Lift failures are a common concern during sudden power interruptions, particularly in high rise residential buildings where residents may depend heavily on elevators for access to their homes.
The reports required emergency services to respond while the electricity supply remained disrupted.
The incident involving the elderly man was more serious because the power failure directly affected medical equipment. His oxygen machine stopped when the electricity supply was interrupted, and he subsequently experienced breathing difficulties.
He was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The case also showed how a local electricity failure can affect residents differently depending on their circumstances. While some people may be able to wait for electricity to return, those dependent on powered medical equipment can face an immediate emergency.
Emergency Repairs Underway
CLP workers remained at the scene to identify and repair the faulty equipment.
The company said it had deployed mobile generators as part of its response and was working to restore normal electricity service to customers affected by the fault.
Community support staff were also involved in the response. CLP said the team was coordinating with local authorities, district councillors and property management companies to assist affected residents.
The coordination was particularly important because the outage involved several buildings rather than an isolated household.
Property managers also had to deal with the practical effects of the blackout, including lift disruptions and the loss of normal building services.
The incident occurred late at night, when many residents were at home and hotels were occupied by guests. The timing also meant that people had limited warning before the electricity supply failed.
Power Fault Disrupts Residential and Hotel Areas
The affected locations included parts of Mong Kok and Ho Man Tin, two busy urban areas of Kowloon with a high concentration of residential buildings, hotels and businesses.
Waterloo Road and Argyle Street were among the areas where residents reported the blackout. Buildings on Ho Man Tin Street and Yim Po Fong Street were also affected.
The spread of the outage meant that the impact was felt across multiple properties.
For hotels, maintaining basic services during a blackout can be difficult even when backup electricity is available. At Metropark Hotel Mongkok, emergency power kept some essential electricity running, but air conditioning remained unavailable.
For residents, the effects depended on the services they needed. Some faced problems with lifts, while others had to manage without normal lighting and building facilities.
The oxygen machine failure added a medical emergency to the wider disruption.
Authorities Monitor Situation
Police handled three reports shortly after the outage began, while firefighters responded to reports involving trapped lift passengers.
CLP continued repair work and arranged temporary power support through mobile generators.
The company also maintained contact with local authorities and property management companies as the response continued.
The incident demonstrates why electricity failures in high density buildings can quickly require assistance from several emergency and public service organisations. A technical fault affecting the power network can lead to lift rescues, disrupted hotel services and serious problems for residents who rely on electrical medical equipment.
For people using oxygen machines or other electrically powered medical devices, a blackout can become an emergency within minutes. Keeping an alternative power source available, where medically appropriate, and knowing how to contact emergency services can provide an important safeguard during an unexpected outage.
The Kowloon outage left around 1,000 customers affected and prompted emergency responses across several buildings, while repairs and temporary power arrangements were put in place to restore normal service.
Have you experienced a power outage that created an emergency in your building?