THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1993
CASTLE PEAK POWER STATION INCIDENT
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) ISSUED THE FOLLOWING IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES ON THE CORONER'S INQUEST INTO CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY'S (CLP) CASTLE PEAK POWER STATION EXPLOSION LAST AUGUST.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID ALTHOUGH THE INQUEST HAD BEEN COMPLETED, IT WOULD BE SUB JUDICE AT THIS STAGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT то RELEASE ITS INVESTIGATION REPORT OR TO COMMENT ON THE FINDINGS OF THE INQUEST AS THERE ARE STILL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMPANY.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WISHES TO EXPLAIN BRIEFLY THE BACKGROUND AS REGARDS THE INCIDENTS, THE HYDROGEN GENERATION AND STORAGE PLANT, THE FIRE SERVICES REQUIREMENTS AND THE INTER- DEPARTMENTAL INVESTIGATION TEAM.
THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A CALL AT 10.08 AM ON AUGUST 28, 1992 THROUGH THE POLICE COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTRE THAT A FIRE WITH EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE TAP SHEK KOK POWER STATION'S HYDROGEN GERERATION PLANT.
FULL FIRE AND AMBULANCE RESOURCES WERE DESPATCHED IMMEDIATELY.
FIREMEN ARRIVED AT THE SCENE WITHIN SIX MINUTES OF THE RECEIPT OF THE REPORT AND FOUND THAT THE REPORTED HYDROGEN GERERATION PLANT AND THE STRUCTURES HOUSING IT WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED.
FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE OPERATION WAS COMPLETED AT 11.20 AM THE SAME
TWO PERSONS DIED AND 19 OTHERS WERE INJURED IN THE INCIDENT.
DAY.
DANGEROUS GOODS LICENCES
PLANT,
SAFETY
PRIOR TO THE COMMISSIONING OF THE HYDROGEN GENERATION CLP WAS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH ALL OF THE PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS FOR MANUFACTURE, STORAGE AND USE OF HYDROGEN IN THE
PLANT.
A TOTAL OF FIVE DANGEROUS GOODS LICENCES WERE ISSUED FOR THESE
PURPOSES.
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL INVESTIGATION TEAM
FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, THE GOVERNOR INSTRUCTED THE DIRECTOR OF SERVICES TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES OF THE
FIRE
EXPLOSION.
/ACCORDINGLY, AN