Development head acknowledges lift shafts created operational problems

Multiple elevators in the new Clinical Block at Queen Mary Hospital require repair due to malfunctions. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn admitted structural deviations in the elevator shaft walls, but noted the contractor is confident the issue will be resolved before the fourth quarter.

Only 4 out of 28 elevators in Queen Mary Hospital's "Clinical Block 1" are currently available to the public.

The Hospital Authority and Development Bureau later issued statements noting that the contractor failed to meet contract specifications and requires remedial work. Last Friday, they further stated that the ArchSD (Architectural Services Department) and EMSD (Electrical and Mechanical Services Department) must comprehensively review supervision practices and submit a report.

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn responded to the incident for the first time, acknowledging structural deviations in the elevator shaft walls that prevented the elevators from operating smoothly.

"If the external wall structure has dimensional deviations... with these dimensional deviations, when the elevator is installed inside, the clearance space in between may be insufficient, causing the elevator to run roughly."

"We are urging the main contractor and subcontractors to resolve the issue properly and bear all associated costs. They are confident these problems can be fully rectified within the fourth quarter of this year," said Linn.