Massive crowd chaos after man severely injured by electrocution on MTR East Rail Line

27th March 2026 - (Hong Kong) Evening rush-hour travel descended into gridlock after a man suffered severe electrocution injuries on the MTR East Rail Line between Kowloon Tong and Tai Wai on Thursday, forcing a lengthy suspension and leaving stations and platforms packed with stranded passengers.

Emergency teams located the injured man on the track within the tunnel section shortly after 5pm, following reports that the rear cab's emergency exit ramp on a southbound train had been opened in transit. He was removed from the scene at around 6.30pm and taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for urgent treatment before later being transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

Police said the 35-year-old, who had entered the track area via the rear cab emergency door, sustained extensive burns consistent with electrocution. The case is being handled as a person falling onto the track. Sha Tin District Crime Squad is investigating the circumstances; no arrests have been made.

The incident triggered extensive disruption across the corridor. Services between Mong Kok East and Tai Wai were halted for search and rescue operations involving MTR staff, police and firefighters. Two trains were held within the affected section for around two hours before being cleared to move to Tai Wai and Kowloon Tong respectively, allowing passengers to disembark. Full line services were gradually restored from approximately 6.56pm, though frequencies remained adjusted elsewhere.

Severe crowding hit multiple interchanges. Tai Wai station was jammed, queues for taxis stretched long at Tai Po Market, and Kowloon Tong saw large numbers waiting for onward travel. To ease congestion, MTR deployed additional staff, operated free shuttle buses between Kowloon Tong and Tai Wai, and boosted Tuen Ma Line services. During the prolonged stoppage in the tunnel, some passengers reported feeling unwell, while others faced acute needs within carriages given the lack of facilities.

MTR said the train's safety systems functioned as designed, stopping the train and alerting the driver immediately after the rear cab emergency access was opened. The operator confirmed the affected section's safety before resuming services.