I.PARK1 fire extinguished, waste intake suspended as probe begins
A fire at the I.PARK1 integrated waste management facility on an artificial island near Shek Kwu Kok was extinguished after about four hours. The Environmental Protection Department says one worker was taken to hospital, about 970 people were evacuated, and waste intake is suspended pending an inves
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has confirmed that a fire at the I.PARK1 integrated waste management facility on an artificial island near Shek Kwu Kok was extinguished after burning for about four hours. The blaze, which broke out at around 12:40 pm on 26 October, led to one worker being taken to hospital for medical treatment. About 970 construction workers and operational staff were evacuated in an orderly manner.
The EPD stated that I.PARK1 has temporarily stopped receiving waste while the cause of the fire is under investigation. The department has instructed the contractor to submit a fire report within seven days and will work with the Fire Services Department to determine the cause. The EPD will also assess the damage and urge the contractor to carry out repairs as soon as possible.
Preliminary information indicates that the fire started on the roof of the third incineration module area within the facility's main incinerator building. The contractor activated its emergency response procedures, which included reporting the incident to the Fire Services Department, deploying trained personnel to control the blaze, evacuating staff in an orderly manner, and shutting down all major systems.
The Fire Services Department received the report at around 12:40 pm and had largely extinguished the fire by approximately 4:45 pm. The EPD said it is reviewing the impact of the fire on the facility's operations and will maintain close contact with the industry regarding operational arrangements. It will also extend operating hours at the expanded section of the New Territories West Landfill. The EPD stressed that overall waste processing operations in Hong Kong remain normal.