From: 92915855@cphkvx.cphk.hk
Subject: SCMP - 1/4/1993
Organization: The Ohio State University; Department of Phyiscs
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 12:02:24 GMT

"Young Ho-kin taken off critical list"

A young victim injured in the LKF tragedy was taken off the critical
list yesterday. 

     The condition of Chan Ho-kin, 13, who suffered asphyxia in the
crush, improved from critical to fair. But two other critically ill
patients were still fighting for their lives early today. The trio were
last night in the intensive care unit at the Queen Mary Hospital.

     The boy's father, Mr Chan Kam-po, said Ho-kin's condition had
stablisied but doctors were keeping him in intensive care for further
observation. "[Ho-kin] is now in a better condition and we can talk to
him, but he is still very weak," said a tired Mr Chan, who had been
waiting in the hospital for three days. "We have not mentioned anything
to him about the tragedy, we just soothe him and tell him that he is not
seriously hurt so he can be more relaxed about his injuries. We feel
happy with this encouraging development and our hope now is Ho-kin can
recover as soon as possible."

     Mr Chan said his son was lucky to be alive because he was buried
deep in a heap of bodies. He was saved by people who helped to drag him
out. Ho-kin is the youngest of the three sons in the family.

     While the Chan family felt relieved over the boy's condition,
those of 17-year-old Lai Wai-chun and Mr Tam Yee-hung, 34, were facing
an anxious wait for any sign of improvement. Queen Mary Hospital's
University Surgical Unit consultant, Dr Fung Ching-fai, said Wai-chun's
condition was particularly serious.

     Mr Tam's brothers said he had surgery yesterday but there had been
little improvement in his condition. "The doctor told us that his
condition is much the same as when he was admitted to hospital," said
his brother.

     Apart from the three seriously injured, 10 other people were still
receiving treatment in hospital. One was in fair condition and the rest
were satisfactory.


CHENG, Karen, South China Morning Post, January 4 1993, p2




"Disaster sparks call for youth entertainment"

A restaurant owner has urged businesses and the Government to urgently
establish venues for youth entertainment following the death of 12
youngsters aged under 20 in the LKF tragedy.

     LKF Tenants' Association vice-chairman, Mr Barry Kalb, said the
association would meet today to start compiling its submission to the
inquiry, but he would start lobbying himself for youth entertainment
venues.

     Twenty people died after a crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 moved
downhill after the midnight countdown on New Year's Eve. Twelve were
aged 15 to 19 and six under the legal drinking age of 18.

     Mr Kalb said most of the casualties were not regular LKF patrons
but youths who were on the streets because "they had nowhere else to
go". He said: "Reports of people spilling out of nightclubs and
restaurants are not accurate because most of the people were outside.
This is the third New Year's Eve in a row we have seen severe crowding
on the streets. It's the third year in a row the streets have been
jammed with almost all young people - three-quarters of the kids have
been Chinese and a quarter Western. It was an incredible crush again but
they were not regular LKF-goers. They were mostly young people who came
down to see the action."

     Mr Kalb said many of the youths were outside because they were
under the legal drinking age of 18. Some youths probably bought alcohol
in supermarkets and got drunk before they came to the area. The
association regularly discussed underage drinking, and many nightclubs
carried out age checks. 

     Mr Kalb said the tenants would not view smaller crowds as less
taking because people in the streets actually blocked business. "Some of
the more popular places actually complained there weren't many patrons
in their places because people couldn't get in. If there had been a fire
the people inside wouldn't have been able to get out," he said. 

     He urged Government and businesses to develop youth entertainment
venues. "It takes a tragedy like this to get people thinking and talking
about it. Hongkong does not provide a site for anybody, let alone kids.
There needs to be a place to go, a good place which appeals to young
people and where they don't serve alcohol." He said government and
businesses should consider donating premises. "The parents of many of
the children on the streets are the heads of these businesses. They
should be presenting some proposals to give their children somewhere to
go," he said.

     Ma Kalb also said the association was unlikely to compensate
victims. It had not taken out public liability insurance because the New
Year's Eve gathering was not an official LKF event such as a street
carnival. The association also had warned police for several years of
the potential dangers of huge crowds gathering in the area.


COOK, Beryl, South China Morning Post, January 4 1993, p2







Other News Headline:

"Revamp of "crowd" laws may be expanded after New Year deaths"

"Coverage causes guilt and sorrow"

"The Governor's wife, Mrs Lavender Patten, spent about an hour at Queen
Mary Hospital last night visiting those injured in the LKF tragedy.
     She arrived at the hospital at 7.30 pm with an aide and daughters
Kate, Laura and Alice.
     Mrs Patten and her daughters visited the more seriously injured on
the 14th floor."

"Shamshuipo District Commander, Chief Superintendent Gerard Frith, and
family members lay flowers at the roadside in memory of 15-year-old
Michael who died in the crush after the New Year celebration."


South China Morning Post, January 4 1993, pp1-2
Newsgroups: soc.culture.hongkong