Today (9th) at 10:08 a.m., a 63-year-old male worker surnamed Lai, employed by a subcontractor of the Highways Department, suddenly collapsed while cleaning leaves on the pedestrian bridge at No. 18 Ma Zai Ping Road in Wong Tai Sin, which connects Shek Yuen South Village and Moss Park. He was rushed to Tung Wah Hospital for emergency treatment but unfortunately passed away. A reporter from Hong Kong 01 contacted the deceased's girlfriend, who revealed that Mr. Lai had been losing weight and had previously mentioned feeling unwell, not wanting to work, but was worried that if he didn't return to work, he would lose his job. His mindset was: 'If I lose this job, what else can I do?' Last night (8th) was a rare day when Mr. Lai did not work overtime, and she speculated that his body was already in a severe state of discomfort, which is why he decided to take a break. However, after resting for a night, he left home again before 6 a.m. this morning. Later, she received a call from Mr. Lai's boss, and she learned that her boyfriend had passed away. 'My hands were shaking, I said these things are not jokes. What happened? I really can't accept it...' Tools and a safety helmet belonging to the deceased were left on the pedestrian bridge. (Photograph by Wong Yuet Fai) The deceased's girlfriend said that Mr. Lai initially worked as a car mechanic, but after becoming unemployed, he switched to a subcontractor job. His original working hours were 8 hours a day, but he only rested for a few hours before resuming work, often working overtime for more than 10 hours a day, and sometimes even staying overnight at the company for convenience the next day. She recalled that Mr. Lai only occasionally took a day off on Sundays and rarely took holidays. Even during major holidays, he still had to work. 'He gave me a feeling that he was scared of losing his job, and that feeling was very strong. So whenever the boss called him to work, he had to go.' The girlfriend said that Mr. Lai was not the main breadwinner of the family. His parents and siblings did not need to be supported, but he was worried that if he was fired, he would not be able to find another job again, as if he was constantly bearing an invisible pressure: 'His mindset was: 'If I lose this job, what else can I do?' ' The girlfriend said that Mr. Lai had been working in that subcontractor job for about five years, and his body had become increasingly thin, weighing more than 10 pounds less than before. The fear and pressure of unemployment made him dare not take time off, let alone seek medical help; even when he was unwell, he preferred to continue working overtime. The girlfriend painfully said, 'He kept working late nights, without rest or entertainment, just for the job.' She described how her boyfriend had been working overtime non-stop for several years, a situation like 'out of control,' and they even had arguments over it. She said, 'I always had a suspicion, what kind of company is this?' Mr. Lai responded, 'If you don't work, you can find another one, otherwise, no one will do it.' She then asked, 'Those others (colleagues) aren't people either? They take turns, why do you have to work every night? Why do you have to work every night?' The girlfriend remembered that last night (8th) was a rare day when Mr. Lai did not work overtime. He came home with a drooping head and said nothing, and she speculated that his body was already in a severe state of discomfort, which is why he decided to take a break. However, after resting for a night, he left home again at 6 a.m. this morning. Later, she received a call from Mr. Lai's boss, and she learned of the tragic news of her boyfriend's sudden death. 'My hands were shaking, I said these things are not jokes. What happened? I really can't accept it...' The location was the pedestrian bridge at No. 18 Ma Zai Ping Road in Wong Tai Sin, which connects Shek Yuen South Village and Moss Park. (Photograph by Wong Yuet Fai) According to reports, the deceased had hypertension and had recently told his family that he was experiencing chest discomfort, but he did not seek medical help. The Industrial Accidents Victims' Benefit Association issued a statement expressing deep sadness, and its staff had already rushed to the hospital to contact the family and would continue to follow up and provide appropriate assistance. The association cited the family's statement, saying that the deceased had frequently worked overtime for the past few months, only resting for 3 to 4 hours each day, and demanded that the employer explain the situation. The association also called on the Labour Department to investigate whether the incident was related to overwork. A male worker suddenly collapsed while cleaning leaves on the pedestrian bridge. (Photograph by Wong Yuet Fai) The association stated that the heatwave warning was in effect at the time of the incident, but it is still unknown whether the accident was related to heatstroke. Facing the heat, the association reminded workers to be vigilant and pay attention to the weather conditions during the heatwave warning period. Employers should particularly monitor the weather and take appropriate measures to prevent heatstroke. Employers should reduce the amount of time workers spend working outdoors and increase rest time. Employers must provide workers with sufficient cool drinking water and portable fans, arm sleeves, and cooling towels as heatstroke prevention equipment, and if workers feel unwell, they should immediately stop work and rest. Police arrived at the scene to investigate. (Photograph by Wong Yuet Fai) Highways Department: Overtime is generally 2 to 3 hours, and the contractor has arranged appropriate rest periods. The Highways Department stated that today (9th), it received a report from the contractor that a contractor worker collapsed around 10 a.m. while working on a pedestrian bridge near the Wong Tai Sin Ma Zai Ping Playground (structure number: KF60) under the department's jurisdiction, and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment but unfortunately passed away. The Highways Department expressed deep sadness over the incident and extended sincere condolences to the deceased's family. The department said that after the incident, the contractor immediately contacted the deceased's family, 'and has been accompanying the family to provide the necessary support'; the department will continue to maintain close contact with the contractor to ensure that the family receives appropriate assistance when needed. The department added that the worker's usual working hours were from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and overtime was arranged according to actual work needs, generally around 2 to 3 hours. He went to work as usual this morning. During working hours, in addition to lunch breaks, the contractor also arranged appropriate rest periods and provided workers with cool drinking water. The department said that the cause of the incident is still under investigation by the relevant departments, and the Highways Department and the contractor will fully cooperate with the investigation. A male worker suddenly collapsed while cleaning leaves on the pedestrian bridge at Wong Tai Sin Ma Zai Ping Road, and later died after being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.