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HK police to probe if human error or negligence involved in Mirror concert mishap

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Lilian Cheng and Clifford Lo, South China Morning Post

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A billboard featuring Canto-pop boy band Mirror at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: Yik Yeung -man, South China Morning Post" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/31/20220730-mirror-concert-scmp.jpg"/><figcaption>A billboard featuring Canto-pop boy band Mirror at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: Yik Yeung -man, South China Morning Post</figcaption></figure></div>Hong Kong police will investigate if human error or negligence were involved in a shocking accident that left two dancers injured after a giant screen fell on them during a concert by boy band Mirror on Thursday, the Post has learned.The force on Saturday night said detectives from Kowloon West regional crime unit were tasked with investigating the freak accident.Detectives would attend a meeting with other government departments on Monday to study the case, a source said.“The government is very concerned about the case and wants police to look into all possible criminal aspects,” the source said.The government source said officers would look into whether human error or negligence were involved and also whether qualified workers installed the giant video screen and carried out related work.Soon after the accident on Thursday night, Kowloon City district crime squad was given the job of investigating the case. Officers suspended the probe as the government appointed leisure and engineering officials to investigate the case.Meanwhile, the culture minister said concert organisers might be barred from installing large stage sets for coming shows until the completion of the probe.Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung revealed the possible move on Saturday as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said he would “personally inquire” on the progress of the government’s investigation.Lee added that relevant policy bureaus and departments would look into the causes of the accident and who was responsible, and study improvement measures as soon as possible. At least four of the companies involved in the concert said they were not responsible for installing a screen that fell on two dancers performing on the stage.The furore centred on a accident on Thursday night in which two Mirror members were performing at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom when dancer Mo Lee Kai-yin, 27, was hit by a giant, four metre by four metre screen that fell from above the stage.Mo Lee is in danger of becoming paralysed from the neck down, while another dancer, Chang Tsz-fung, 29, who was knocked over by the screen after it crashed down, was discharged on Friday.A Queen Elizabeth Hospital spokesman on Saturday said the dancer had undergone surgery on Friday night and remained critical in the intensive care unit.“Due to the need for intubation and anaesthesia during the operation … the injured person has been temporarily classified as critical, while his survival index is stable,” he said. “The medical team will continue to conduct clinical assessments of the injured, and … provide appropriate treatment to fully support his recovery.”As of Saturday, more than 10,000 fans had left messages on the dancer’s Instagram account showing support and wishing him a speedy recovery, while another 5,000 fans flooded the Instagram page of his girlfriend, Hong Kong girl band Collar’s Natalie So Tsz-ching, supporting her.Preliminary investigations had found that one of two metal cords suspending the large screen had snapped in the middle of the performance. Yeung said the lock on the other cord “looked seemingly loosened”, without further elaboration.Some outraged fans had demanded more explanation from the concert’s main contractor, Engineering Impact. It issued a statement on Saturday night, saying the company would refrain from releasing any information as the case was still under investigation. The company would explain to the public in detail after departments completed the probe and evaluation, and it would “definitely address related issues”.As of Saturday, three subcontractors – Hip Hing Loong Stage Engineering Company, In Technical Productions (ITP) and Art Design And Production – that were named by the concert organisers, Makerville and Music Nation, had issued statements denying they hung the massive screens, or provided the metal cords.Hip Hing Loong disclosed in a Friday night statement that the main contractor had assigned another supplier to install the screen in question, but did not provide the name.Yeung said government departments needed more time to clearly identify the roles of the main and subcontractors behind the structure, as well as installation procedures.“We pledged to investigate the incident fully, including the design and materials used for the metal cords. Since the screen can be rotated and lifted, we won’t rule out that accidents can easily occur during operation,” said Yeung, who will lead a task force under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to find out what went wrong.But Yeung refused to reveal the identity of the contractor which set up the screen at the coliseum, suggesting departments might need “a few weeks” to complete the full investigation.He said the next concert at the Coliseum was set for mid-August, while authorities would discuss with organisers how to adjust stage arrangements for safety.“If it is some static performances, not too tricky, like just standing or sitting while singing, or with simple dancing and light arrangements, we will allow them to carry on, but if the show involves installations similar to those in the accident, we will discuss with them seriously and may have to ask them to cancel,” he said.“Safety is the top priority for performances. It is important to have a good performance, but it is definitely not worth it at the cost of safety, especially when it involves human life.”Canto-pop singers Terence Lam Ka-him and Endy Chow Kwok-yin will be the next two to perform at the Coliseum. Lam has six shows starting from August 19, while Chow’s three-day concert series will begin on September 2.The department will also reach out to organisers of shows at all public venues, including orchestral or drama performances, with the Mirror probe under way.“[The department] will contact these venue hirers, and discuss with them what their performances will be, what sort of special arrangements in terms of stage and other facilities. We will discuss with them on the safety of these facilities and stage arrangements and make sure it is OK to operate,” Yeung added.Yeung also pledged to make improvements if problems were found in the current regulatory system, but added he believed the mechanism at present, requiring organisers to hire professionals to inspect stage installations and issue certification, was reliable.Hong Kong Theatre Arts Practitioners Union said it opposed Yeung’s suggestion that only singers who stood or sat should be allowed to perform.“The stage accident was due to a loophole in supervision, not because someone was dancing at the venue,” it said in a statement.“If the government can only allow performers to do static performances, it means shifting responsibilities to dancers. It also shows that the government does not have the ability to effectively supervise the venues.”None of the 12 Mirror members have made public announcements since Thursday night. Padget Nanton III, an American drummer playing in the concert, wrote on his Instagram on Saturday urging for more “protection” for people in the entertainment industry.“It’s really tough and traumatising being an artist, entertainer, performer witnessing this tragedy. It’s just surreal to even imagine it could happen to any of us,” he wrote. “I also had a bad shocking experience [at] this stage first time ever in my career … We can be super heroes on stage all we want, but we need protection too.”Louis Szeto Ka-sing, a former chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers’ mechanical, marine, naval architecture and chemical division, said a lot of unanswered questions remained over the incident.He said that if the two metal cords were hung independently and properly the screen should have remained secure if one of them snapped.The expert also said that normally, concert organisers had to apply through an authorised person for any additions to a show but it was unclear whether professionals were asked to check the installations every night, or simply before the first show.“The government also has to further explain what the [department] has done about this incident, and whether in the long run, a third party approved by the department should act as the authorised person, instead of letting the organisers hire one themselves,” he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/07/30/22/engineers-say-human-error-played-part-in-mirror-concert-tragedy">Hong Kong engineers say human error played part in Mirror concert tragedy</a></li></ul><div> </div>

The police say detectives from Kowloon West regional crime unit are tasked with investigating the freak accident. Hong Kong's culture minister says concert organizers may be barred from installing large stage sets for their upcoming shows until completion of the probe.

HK police to probe if human error or negligence involved in Mirror concert mishap

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HK police to probe if human error or negligence involved in Mirror concert mishap

Lilian Cheng and Clifford Lo,

South China Morning Post

Published Jul 31, 2022 10:36 AM PHT

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