From: 92915855@cphkvx.cphk.hk
Subject: SCMP 1/3/1993
Organization: The Ohio State University; Department of Phyiscs
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 17:00:42 GMT

"Outrage as party goes on"

"Bars stay open after disaster in the street"

Bars that continued to do business after the New year's Eve tragedy -
and the revellers who continued to drink in them - were yesterday
condemned by the public and fellow LKF bar owners.

     Details have emerged of sickening scenes of disrespect shown to
those who died by revellers who continued partying in the bars and
streets of LKF after the tragedy. Large groups of people only briefly
interrupted drinking sessions as the disaster unfolded meters away.
There were four arrests before and after the tragedy, according to
police. But one witness said she saw about 20 people bundled into a
police van in disturbances during the cleaning-up operation.

     After the crush, the area was cordoned off and no one was allowed
through police lines, but amazingly those already inside the bars were
allowed to remain. Most of the expatriates were already drunk. A few
went out into the deserted streets and began singing, dancing and
shouting among the silent reminders of what had happened earlier.

     Laughs and jeers could be heard from drinkers as they spilled out
from Hardy's Folk Club. Mad Dogs was so full the bouncers had to deny
entry to crowds.

     One reveller swayed through the streets warning people to beware
of a flying blue Santa Claus. Mr Bruce Wynne, who saved several lives
with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, described the crowd as having a
"moronic mentality". A reveller who was hit on the head by a flying
brick is said to have been refused entry to the California restaurant
for treatment and told to call the emergency services, despite having
blood streaming down his face. General Manager Ms Karen Joffe said she
knew nothing about the incident.

     The LKF Association issued a plea for its pubs and clubs to stay
closed on Friday night, despite some of its members remaining open until
daylight that morning. Chairman Mr Calvin Craig said: "Under the
circumstances it would not look good for people to be out revelling. It
is not appropriate." Seven bars are reported to have ignored the plea
and stayed open, including Mr Craig's bar Scotties.

     In a message to the victims' families and friends, he said: "We
share in their pain and suffering on a day that should have been one of
joy and celebration, but is now one of sorrow." Standing at the scene of
the tragedy yesterday, Mr Craig refused to answer any questions.

     Mr Tony Souza, the newly appointed spokesman for the LKF
Association, said: "Each bar owner is in charge of their own bar.
Hardy's is not a member of the association. The association is a loose
confederation of restaurants and bars and it cannot force anyone to pen
or close on directives." Asked whether it was ill-advised for bars to
remain open after the tragedy, Mr Souza said: "I fully accept that . It
is all about sensitivity. The vast majority of us feel its time for
being sensitive both to the clientele and to the families who are still
in a period of bereavement."

     It is understood members attending yesterday's tenants association
meeting expressed anger at bars that failed to shut after the tragedy.
But a manager at Hardy's last night, who refused to be named, said:
"It's unfair to criticise us. We closed at three o'clock, normally we go
on until five or six." Police only registered the arrest of a Chinese
man for theft, an Indian man for throwing a beer bottle, a British
serviceman for assaulting police and causing damage to police
motorcycles, and another European for obstructing police during the
clearing up process.

WOOLRICH, Peter, HUGHES Owen and CHAN Elaine, South China Morning Post,
January 3 1993, p2




"Hospital had little warning"

Queen Mary Hospital was alerted to the Lan Kwai Fong disaster almost 25
minutes after revellers were trampled, or 20 minutes after the first
ambulances arrived at the scene of the tragedy, according to Dr Yeoh
Eng-kiong, Director of Operations of the Hospital Authority.

     "All I know for a fact is the hospital was first informed about
12.30 am. Then, it was only told there were a number of casualties," he
said. "The hospital was not given much detail or the extent of the
problem except we knew it was something quite major. How major we did
not know." Dr Yeoh said it was only when the first patients began to
arrive at about 12.45 am that the extent of the disaster was realised.

     Asked if the hospital should have been more sensitive in the
handling of the deceased, instead of letting them lie on the floor of
the accident and emergency department, Dr Yeoh said that the department
was not equipped to handle so many casualties. "The hospital has a
mortuary but the department only has space for three bodies."

     Dr Yeoh said when staff was faced with a situation where there
were streams of critically ill people, priorities had to be set. "The
accident and emergency department is working to save lives - that is the
most important aspect of its work. I am sure the relatives will
understand our immediate concern is to save lives." But he said the
Hospital Authority would examine how it could do more for bereaved
relatives in the future. "We may have to get the community to help in
providing some psychological support to the relatives. This needs to be
worked out later whether such support can come from voluntary groups."

     Dr Yeoh maintained doctors and nurses at the hospital did a
remarkable job in responding to the disaster. "Within a short time -
five to 10 minutes - we had moblisied a further 60 medical staff."

     Meanwhile, only four calls were received by the round-the-clock
social psychological hotline that was started by Queen Mary to counsel
victims of the LKF tragedy. The calls were from relatives of those who
had died and from witnesses.


WAN, Mariana, South China Morning Post, January 3 1993, p2





"'We want Jody to live on in others'"

The parents of one victim of the LKF tragedy want their son's body to be
used to help others in transplant operations. Grief-stricken Mrs Lolly
Fullerton, whose son Jody, 18, died in the New Year tragedy, said
yesterday they had decided to donate their son's bones and corneas
because "it was important for doctors and will benefit many people". 

"We want Jody to live on in others."

     The chief executive of Queen Mary Hospital, Dr Vivian Wong,
yesterday described Mrs Fullerton as very brave. "She came into the
hospital and said: 'We'd like to identify the body as soon as possible
so that we can offer parts of the body for donation.'" Transplant co-
ordinator Ms Shelly Ho Sau-lan said: "The family was very calm and
helpful. They were full of kindness even in their hour of grief." 

     Meanwhile, there were scenes of hysteria a the Victoria Public
Mortuary yesterday as distraught families identified the 20 dead
victims. The father of Koji Niizeki, 27, a sales manager for Toshiba
Electronics, flew in Japan yesterday to identify his son along with
three Toshiba directors who came to pay their respects. Mr Niizeki's
girlfriend, who was visiting the territory, said he had taken her to LKF
because he had wanted to show her the area. She was also injured but was
discharged after treatment.

     The father of 20-year-old Lam Chin-wan said his son had gong to
LKF on New Year's Eve because he had had such a good time there on
Christmas Eve. "Chin-wan probably went there because he loved that
atmosphere. He was so used to the Western lifestyle that we couldn't
stop him from going." Friends who accompanied the Lam family to the
mortuary said they were planning to leave the area straight after the
countdown. "We tried to stick together but three of us fell and we lost
sight of Chin-wan. I couldn't breathe and couldn't see, and when I got
out I just waited for the ambulancemen," said Mr Ng, who did not want to
give his full name. "We didn't know what had happened to Chin-wan until
we phoned the police on Friday morning."

     Yiu chor-shing, 30, was crushed to death while protecting his
fiancee Wong Mei-yuk. She is still in intensive care suffering from head
injuries. Ms Wong's sister said after leaving the morgue yesterday:
"They usually picked one spot to spend New Year's Eve. This year they
chose LKF and went with company colleagues for the first time. "It is so
tragic that he died for her and left her alone. I dare not to tell her
about his death. I can only comfort her by telling her that he was
transferred to another hospital for treatment. I think the crowds are to
blame for this tragedy. The accident was man-made. They should not have
fun by pushing one another; they should not get so drunk."

     The parents of Lo Hon-chiu, 21, related how their son had gone
home to their Ma On Shan flat for supper before going out with his
friends. His tearful mother said: "It was his last supper."

CHAN Elaine, CHAN Gary, South China Morning Post, January 3 1993, p3


Others News Headline:

Measures examined to ensure safe Lunar New Year Celebration
Police seek festival drinks ban

Visitors to LKF point at a poster showing a photograph of 10 heads
craved on wood and mirrored, giving a total of 20 - the number killed on
New Year's Eve. The poster was considered "very unlucky" and taken down.

South China Morning Post, January 3 1993, pp1-3
Newsgroups: soc.culture.hongkong