According to Hong Kong’s architectural authorities, only four out of 28 lifts at Queen Mary Hospital’s newly constructed clinical block will function normally once minor repair work is concluded. The remaining lifts will require ongoing maintenance until the close of the year.
On Thursday, the Architectural Services Department confirmed that merely four lifts servicing non-clinical areas within the HK$13.5 billion (US$1.72 billion) facility were deemed to be in acceptable working order. These units will receive only minor repairs in the coming period.
The department further noted that the other lifts have experienced persistent operational issues, necessitating urgent remedial action.
Officials anticipate that all necessary repair work will be finalised by the fourth quarter of this year.
The block forms part of the Pok Fu Lam hospital’s inaugural redevelopment phase. While construction was largely completed last year, the facility commenced phased openings beginning in November.
Clinical services have not yet relocated to the new block, as recurring lift malfunctions—including incidents involving sudden drops that left staff temporarily trapped—have rendered most of the elevators inoperable.
Last month, authorities reported that the defects were identified during the final testing phase, with both installation quality and performance falling short of contractual specifications.
