A 73-year-old minibus driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death after his vehicle struck and killed a 79-year-old woman struck in Hung Hom today.
The accident occurred at about 9am as he was driving along Ma Hang Chung Road. His minibus reportedly knocked the woman down near Pau Chung Street.
She was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she died at 9.54am.
Witnesses should call Police at 2773 5200.
Customs officers have arrested a 49-year-old man at the airport who was carrying 6.6kg of cocaine worth $7.73 million.
He was checked upon arrival from Argentina yesterday, and officers found the drug soaked in the interlining of three jackets and two plastic mats in his suitcase.
He will be charged with drug trafficking and will appear in Tsuen Wan Magistracy tomorrow.
Customs officers today distributed leaflets to stall operators at the Lunar New Year Fair in Victoria Park, reminding them not to sell counterfeit goods.
The Customs & Excise Department sent letters to successful bidders for Lunar New Year Fair stalls in October, reminding them to check the authenticity and origin of their goods.
The department said it will enhance patrols at fairs to combat the sale of counterfeit products during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, the maximum penalty for selling goods with a forged trademark or false trade description is five-years' jail and a $500,000 fine.
Call the customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 to report the sale of suspected counterfeit goods.
The Fire Services Department will open a host of new facilities, including fire and ambulance stations, and a training school, to boost emergency services in the coming years.
Delivering the department's year-end review today, Director of Fire Services Andy Chan said a fire station with ambulance facilities is being built in Kowloon Bay for completion in June. It will cover the Kai Tak cruise terminal which will also open that month, and nearby commercial and residential developments.
The department will build a fire station and ambulance depot on the artificial island along the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge to deal with emergencies along the structure when it opens in 2016.
It will also build a new ambulance depot in Sheung Shui to cater to the northern New Territories.
It will open the Fire Services Training School in Tseung Kwan O in October 2015, offering live-in training for 530 fire and ambulance trainees.
Fire services
Reviewing 2012, Mr Chan said there were 37,638 fire calls, up 10.1% on 2011. A total of 30,191 special service calls were received, up 11.2%.
Fire officers conducted 276,800 building safety inspections last year, up 4.9%, and conducted 42,573 inspections of licensed premises, issuing 1,044 notices and instituting 59 prosecutions.
They conducted 161,072 inspections of fire service installations, issuing 2,086 notices and instituting 11 prosecutions.
Mr Chan said, after the HazMat Team was formed in March to deal with hazardous materials, four sub-teams were implemented at Sheung Wan, Sha Tin, Lai King, and Tsim Sha Tsui fire stations.
Ambulance services
There were 727,300 ambulance calls, up 5.4%.
From 2009 to the end of 2012, Mr Chan said the department replaced and replenished 327 ambulances. Fifty-four new ambulances will start operation this year.
On the Ombudsman's suggestion of optimising the identification process and conveyance of critically-ill patients, Assistant Director of Fire Services (Ambulance) John Yeung said the department and the Hospital Authority have agreed to take critical patients in cardiac or respiratory arrest to the nearest hospital accident and emergency department. The proposal will be implemented in the coming months, he said.
Turning to the reduction in the conditioned hours of work of Fire Stream operational staff, Mr Chan said the department will gradually launch the pilot phase of a trial scheme of the “New 51 Proposal” at suitable districts this year. If the trial achieves satisfactory results, the department will consider full implementation, he said.