From: 92915855@cphkvx.cphk.hk
Subject: SCMP - 1/2/1993
Organization: The Ohio State University; Department of Phyiscs
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 17:32:42 GMT

           Mr Justice Bokhary appointed to head independent
           inquiry into deaths of 20 Lan Kwai Fong revellers

"POLICE TOLD OF CROWD DANGERS"

Police were warned three weeks ago of a possible tragedy in Lan Kwai
Fong, it was revealed yesterday, as three separate inquiries were
launched into the New Year crush which left 20 young revellers dead and
scores more injured.

      Central and West District Board members claimed they told police
representatives during a December 10 meeting that the number of people
being allowed into the trendy Central bar area must be limited for
festivals after scuffles broke out during Halloween celebrations. Board
member Mr Yuen Bun-keung said the United Democrats of Hongkong had made
proposals at the meeting which, if adopted, might have prevented the
disaster.

      At least 64 other people were injured in a frenzied few minutes
either side of midnight as crowds crushed down D'Aguliar Street towards
Central during New Year celebrations. Forty-seven of the injured have
since been discharged from hospital. Of the 17 still detained, one is in
critical condition, two poor, one fair and the rest satisfactory.

      Mr Yuen said loud-hailers and the creation of exit and entrance
points were also recommended during the meeting, along with government
first aid stations in places which might attract large crowds. 

      Board chairman Mr Ambrose Lau Hong-chuen claimed that one senior
policeman agreed there had not been enough officers at the scene at
Halloween. According to Mar Lau, Central district commander
Superintendent Justin Cunningham accepted suggestions that police should
be increased for next year's Halloween celebrations. "They said they
understood our concerns and [would] consider our suggestions," Mr Lau
said.

      While force spokesman Chief Superintendent Eric Lockeyear
confirmed last night that the meeting had taken place, he said: "They
made no positive or specific recommendations." "They might make
suggestions but they don't tell the police what to do. It is the police
that make the decisions concerning also and order," Superintendent
Lockeyear said.

      Superintendent Cunningham said earlier that the 70 officers
employed on Halloween were adequate but that number had been increased
to 120 to help cope with the New Year's Eve celebrations after
observations by officers on the night.

      Superintendent Lockeyear said the problem yesterday was not about
the number of revellers or police but a matter of concentration in an
area where the roads were slippery. Police crowd control measures and
the future of the trendy bar area of Lan Kwai Fong as a venue for large
parties will be examined in the police's investigation and an
independent inquiry, to be led by High Court judge Mr Justice Bokhary.
The Fire Services Department is also examining its own role, which saw
nearly 150 firemen and ambulance men involved.

      The independent inquiry was ordered by the Governor, Mr Chris
Patten, after he met Chief Secretary Sir David Ford, Attorney-General Mr
Jeremy Mathews, Secretary for Security Mr Alistair Asprey, and
Commissioner of Police Mr Li Kwan-ha.

      Mr Li later pledged full police assistance for the Government
inquiry. "We are looking to see if there are lessons to be learnt and
that they are learned," he said. While saying he did not want to pre-
empt the inquiry, Mr Li moved quickly to clear police from criticism by
Legislative Councillors and witnesses to the tragedy. He said the 120
officers deployed around Lan Kwai Fong had been adequate for the 15,000
to 20,000 strong crowd - 10,000 less than the police's estimated
capacity for the area. "The initial inquires indicated that ... given
the size of the crowd the number of police officers on duty was
commensurate with normal practice," he said.

      But legislators said it was vital police crowd control tactics
were reviewed by Lunar New Year to avoid a repeat of the tragedy. Others
urged the Security Panel to hold its own inquiry, independent of that
commissioned by Mr Patten.

      Co-operative Resources Center (CRC) member Mr Howard Young raised
seven questions in a letter to the Legislative Council secretariat over
the ability of police and other authorities to handle such situations.
Mr Young asked if the number of personnel deployed took into account
crowd numbers expected early yesterday, whether any of theses plans took
into account the presence of live radio and television broadcasts, and
the legal requirements for notifying the authorities of such events. He
also asked if there were differences in crowd turnout from previous
celebrations, whether any broadcast media were used to inform the public
of the disaster, whether any considerations were given to close off the
area and whether the Government would review crowd control measures.
      
      One legislator said the incident would have been avoidable if
police had cut off the flow of people into the cramped area. "The most
important question has to be whether the police at any time considered
limiting access to Lan Kwai Fong if they felt there were simply too many
people," said UDHK legislator Mr Cheung Man-kwong.

      CRC member Mrs Selina Chow Leung Shuk-yee suggested the Government
should also look at the details of the evening. "Mr Young and I myself
have been told that many people were forced into the streets after they
found that many restaurants and bars had increased the charges on New
year's Eve. This is a factor leading to the tragedy," she said.

      Independent Legislator Miss Emily lau Wai-hing wrote to the
secretary of the Security Panel asking for a meeting with the evening's
organizers, police and rescue authorities. "The Governor's inquiry which
I fully support should go on, but we, the panel members, and the people
want to know what actually happened. We want some facts," Miss Lau said.

      The Director of the Hongkong and Macau Affairs office, Mr Lu Ping,
and the director of the local branch of the NCNA, Mr Zhou Nan, yesterday
expressed their condolences to the victims in a telegram sent from
Beijing.

      Mr Patten and his wife, Lavender, toured the scene of the tragedy
at about 4 am after visiting Queen Mary and Tang Shiu Kin hospitals and
police headquarters. "Obviously, the whole community will be united not
only in grief of what happened, with so many young people having died or
been injured, but will also be united in wanting to learn as much as we
can to avoid this sort of tragedy happening again," Mr Patten said. 

      The Governor said it was hoped the inquiry could take place as
quickly as possible, with interim results ready by the Lunar New year.
"It is extremely important that if there are any immediate lessons to
learn, we should learn them as swiftly as we possibly can," he said. "Mr
Justice Bokhary should head the inquiry. [He is] a very distinguished
Hongkong judge well-known in the community."

      Terms of reference have yet to be announced and Mr Patten refused
to be drawn on what they might be, but Mr Justice Bokhary said he
expected to receive them by Monday morning. "After a tragedy of this
sort on New Year's Day, and with another festival coming up at Chinese
New Year, the sooner we fond out [what happened], the better," Mr
Justice Bokhary said. The issue of whether mass celebrations should be
held in the confined Lan kwai Fong area could not be separated from the
questions of how the tragedy happened and how to prevent it, he said.

      The inquiry is expected to be conducted on similar lines to a
probe into the Lunar New Year fire at Shek Kong Vietnamese detention
center last February, which left 24 people dead. That was leaded by a
single investigator, Mr Justice Kempster.

by Staff Reporters
South China Morning Post, January 2 1993, pp1-2





"Christmas holiday visit ends in tragedy"

A trip to visit his family during the Christmas and New Year school
holidays ended in tragedy when 18-year-old Jody Fullerton became one of
the 20 victims of the LKF disaster.

      A student at the University of Winnepeg in Canada, Jody was
visiting his parents, Brian and Lolly Fullerton, brother Andrew and
sister Sarah. Before graduating last June, Jody had been a pupil at the
Hongkong International School and yesterday headmaster Mr David Rittman
said the young Canadian had been a popular student. "This is so
unfortunate. It's so senseless ... he was just home on leave."  

      The Fullerton family live in Kennedy Road government quarters.
They declined to comment yesterday, other than to ask that instead of
flowers, donations should be sent to the International School, to be
forwarded to the Pattaya Orphanage in Thailand. Mr Rittman explained:
"We do a programme where we send students to work in the orphanage every
spring. Jody went a year ago and his parents knew he was moved by the
experience."

      Another victim, 15-year-old Michael Edward Frith, was the son of
police Chief Superintendent Gerard Frith, who is the Shamshuipo district
commander. He was on Christmas leave from a boarding school in the UK.
He has an elder brother who is a student at the Island School. Mr Frith,
who served with the British South Africa Police before joining the Royal
Hongkong Police Force in 1961, was too upset to discuss his son's death
yesterday.

      Families of the 20 dead are expected to formally identify their
relatives today at Victoria Public Mortuary in Western. They were unable
to do so yesterday because the public holiday meant no legal medical
doctors were available to complete the procedure.

      One of the lucky survivors, Mr Anthony Cheung Wing-yiu, said his
first visit to LKF would be his last. Lying in bed at Tang Shiu Kin
Hospital, the 22-year-old said: "It was really upsetting to see people
running for their lives. Everybody just worried about themselves ...
they didn't mind stepping on others if it meant they could survive." But
Mr Cheung, how is in satisfactory condition with leg injuries, said it
was understandable considering the circumstances. "I think I would have
done the same thing if only I was capable of cunning at that time. The
fact is, I was injured and I could not move easily," he said. 

      The nightmare began shortly before midnight when Mr Cheung,
together with some friends, decided to join party-goers to welcome 1993.
They found the streets so crowded that they decided to leave, but were
then unable to do so. "The crowd was moving very slowly and it was
difficult for us to get out. Actually, some girls started to cry before
the tragedy," Mr Cheung said. Just a few minutes later, the crush was
over and boys and girls, all badly injured, were lying on the street.

      Mr Cheung and one of his friends, 26-year-old Ms Chan Man-yee,
were taken into a bar to recover. He thought Ms Chan had died after
losing consciousness during the crush. "She would have died if it had
not been for the help of a bartender who splashed her with water," he
said. Mr Cheung's mother sam him on television and rushed to the
hospital, where he was scolded for having been in LKF in the first
place.

      It was also the first time 17-year-old Chan Ho-yin and his 13
year-year-old brother Chan Ho-kin had been to LKF. "We had heard a lot
about it and thought we would pass by to have a look," said Ho-yin at
Queen Mary Hospital. "At around 12.10, people suddenly poured out from
everywhere. We were surrounded and I found myself pushing against my
friends. My feet could not reach the ground and I lost my shoe in the
chaos. I just didn't know what had hit me. The next thing I knew, two
people had fainted next to me."

      
      He said there had been a steady police presence throughout the
evening and the atmosphere had been jovial. "But when the trouble began,
I could not see police anywhere. When they reappeared they asked us to
move back and everyone obeyed, but those at the back refused to budge."
When he was free of the human sandwich, Ho-yin went to search for his
brother but could not find him anywhere. "It was not until 3 or 4 am
that we found out he had been taken to [Queen Mary] hospital," he said.
Ho-kin was taken to hospital suffering from asphyxia. He is in the
intensive care unit, where his condition was described as critical.

by Susan Furlong, Linda Choy and Yuen Chan
South China Morning Post, January 2 1993, pp1-2




"Tearful vigil by mourning relatives"

Mourning friends and relatives joined survivors of the New Year tragedy
yesterday to mount a day-long vigil in LKF, where 20 people had died
just a few hours earlier.

      Some of the 200-strong crowd were in tears, others dazed by the
befallen thousands of the territory's young as they celebrated the turn
of the year.

      A young woman, whose friend had died in the carnage, stood crying
next to a tree that had been broken at its base, its two metal supports
bent at nearly right angles by the force of the New Year revellers who
surged down D'Aguilar Street just after midnight yesterday.

      Mr Andrew Wong, owner of the Acropolis restaurant located at the
intersection of LKF, Wing Wah Lane and D'Aguliar Street, where many of
the deaths occurred, burned a tiny pyre of incense on the kerb. 

      A group of young people, some wiping their eyes, left an offering
of food and incense on the pavement.

      Witnesses who returned to the scene recalled the previous night's
horrors.

      Mr Bruce Wynne from England recalled hearing screams and seeing
people lying on the pavement "with glazed expressions, like they had had
the life kicked out of them". He performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
on several victims. "I think I lost one girl. I know I definitely saved
at least three," he said. 

      The intersection was jammed with a "solid mass of people in all
four directions" when, just after mind-night, a "mad charge" of
revellers went down LKF, he explained. There were several policemen near
where the dead had been crushed, but the officers initially appeared
oblivious to what was happening during the first, fatal minuets, he
added. 

      "They didn't know what was going on. They just stood around like
toy soldiers," Mr Wynne claimed. "No matter how you tried, you couldn't
get the attention of the police."

      Mr Jim Phillips saw the same chaotic scene. "It was just really
quick - lots of people getting crushed, people falling down, trying to
get out," he said. "Everyone was pushing on top and didn't know what was
happening on the bottom."

      Hours after the stampede, crushed beer cans and foam canisters,
and dozens of shoes torn off in the disaster, littered the streets.
Then, as the sun began to set, a water truck hosed down the pavements,
washing away confetti and flowers that had been left in memory of the
victims. Some bars and nightclubs in the trendy nightspot remained close
last night in deference to the dead. One onlooker, Mr Andrew Lee Yui-
kwong, said he would stay away from LKF during future holiday and
festival nights.

by Eric Anderson
South China Morning Post, January 2 1993, p1



CASUALTY LIST

Twenty-seven people were treated at Queen Mary Hospital - 14 have since
been released. TWENTY WERE CONFIRMED DEAD UPON ARRIVAL.

The dead:

Koji Niizeki (male, 27)                 Huen Sze-fung (m, 26)
Fullerton, Jody (m, 18)                 Wan Hung-yan (m, 25)
Lo Hon-chiu (m, 21)                     Fong Kowk-keung (m, 19)
Frith, Michael (m, 15)                  Yiu chor-shing (m, 30)
Yu Yuet-on (m, 18)                      Li Yue-ming (m, 26)
So Chun-fan (m, 17)                     Lam Chi-wah (m, 18)
Kwok Yuk-king (female, 15)              Chan Hiu-ki (f, 20)
Kwan Po-shan (f, 17)                    Yeung Yiu-ling (f, 17)
Leung Ching-yee (f, 18)                 Chow Pui-yee (f, 20)
Fok Shu-yin (f, 19)
and an unknown male

The injured:

Lai Wai-shun (m, 17, asphyxia)          Chan Ho-kin (m, 13, asphyxia)
Tam Yee-hung (m, 34, asphyxia)          Lam Lai-yin (m, 17, ankle inj)
Lo Tse-kin (m, 18, chest contusion)     Lau Hin-kowk (m, 21, femur)
Chan Hok-ning (m, 29, ankle)            To Chi-kin (m,15,knee & ankle)
Tsui Chak-keung (m, 17, unknown)        Chiu Chi-wai (m, 20, limb)
Dean Lancaster (m, 31, head)            Lo Man Kowk (m, 22,leg & knee)
Jain Rakesh Rajendio (m, 15, tibia and ankle)
Li Shui-chung (m, 35, tibia)            Wu Yin-ting (f, unk, back)
Wong Shun-lai (f, 26, multi abrasions)  Cheuk Min-min (f, 17, leg)
Koo Man-wai (f, 19, dizziness)          Wong On-chu (f, 17, ankles)
Wo Wai-lan (f, 28, femur)               Yip Pui Shan (f, 19, unknown)
Leung Yan-ling (f, 18, asphyxia)        Kwok Yuen-yee (f, 15, femur)
Wong Mei-yuk (f, 27, brian contusion)   Yuen Ching-yee (f, 20, head)
Leung Yuk-ngan (f, 20, legs)            Leung Siu-keung (f, 26, leg)

      A total of 36 were treated at Tang Shiu Kin Hospital. Three of
them are still being treated:

Cheung Wing-yin (m, 22, lower limb injuries)
Poon Pui-shan (f, 16, lower limb)
and a 20-year-old woman indentified as Ms Liu (shoulder injuries)
      One male was admitted to Queen elizabeth Hospital.

South China Morning Post, January 2 1993, p3




"Witnesses tell of chaos at hospital"

The 15 minutes after the first victims arrived at Queen Mary Hospital
were chaotic, with the dead and injured left lying on the floor
unattended.

      Eyewitnesses said that when the first batch of about 20 people
arrived between 12.45 am and 1 am there were not enough medical
personnel immediately available to deal with the emergency. "People were
rushed to them right away," said one witness at the hospital. "The staff
at that point did not seem to fully understand that they had a very
urgent situation on their hands."

      Witnesses said that not only were the injured left lying on the
floor but a couple of dead bodies were also in the corridor. "It was ag
rim and chilling sight to see the dead lying on one side and the
injured, who were groaning in pain, on the other. Some people who saw
that just broke down in shock. It was just unbelievable," said one
witness.

      A truckload of about 20 Police Tactical Unit officers arrived 15
minutes later and quickly set up an emergency reception and information
counter to deal with victims and their families. Medical staff were also
available at this point to care for the injured. For the next few hours,
Queen Mary was an unbearable sight, with a steady stream of injured and
their relatives and friends pouring in to make inquiries. At one point
the lobby was packed with more than 100 people.

      Some people, who had apparently heard of the disaster while out
celebrating, turned up in formal dinner wear to make sure their children
or loved ones were not caught in the accident. Some breathed a sigh of
relief on finding that no one they knew was on the list. However, some
broke down in tears or became hysterical when told their relatives had
been killed.

by Luisa Tam
South China Morning Post, January 2 1993, p3

Xref: sparky soc.culture.hongkong:16700 soc.culture.china:33712