Chungking Mansions - Public Safety

Public Safety

The age of the building, the diverse ownership and management structure are causes of the building's reputation for being a fire trap. Unsanitary conditions, security, ancient electrical wiring and blocked staircases all contribute to the hazards. On 21 February 1988, a fire broke out in the building. A Danish tourist who was trapped inside was killed. The fire in this building, as well as a blaze in a similar building, provoked a review of rules and regulations concerning public safety.

In 1993, the power and water supplies were suspended for 10 days owing to an explosion in the power supply room. This event made the owners and residents there no longer able to ignore the poor maintenance inside the building.

In 1995, Chungking Mansions made local newspaper headlines when Sushila Pandey, a 37-year-old Indian tourist, was killed in the building by her Sri Lankan partner Attanayake Wasala Dangamuwa, 54.

It is also known to be a centre of drugs, as well as a refuge for petty criminals, scammers, and illegal immigrants. For example, in a Police swoop in June 1995, about 1,750 people were questioned, and 45 men and seven women from various Asian and African countries were arrested on suspicion of offenses including failing to produce proof of identity, overstaying, using forged travel documents, possessing equipment for forging documents and possessing dangerous drugs. In "Operation Sahara" in 1996, 52 men and seven women from 14 countries were arrested for violating immigration regulations.

In order to best deal with the safety concern of the building, the owners' corporation of Chungking Mansions established a HKD$13 million renovation fund in 1999. A total of 208 CCTVs were installed throughout the building in 2004 and placed under the central control of a security company. Chungking Mansions also hires security guards and cleaning workers to patrol the building night and day and to ensure the cleanliness of the building. Fire facilities were also improved with more signs and equipment. From time to time, police officers and immigration officers check the identity of the people inside the building in order to crack down on drug-trafficking, overstaying and other criminal offenses. With all this effort the security and environment in Chungking Mansions have been improving significantly.