Relatives of the woman gathered to mourn this morning (photo: Wu Zhen-xing)

An 85-year-old woman was crushed, dragged and killed in a horrific crash involving two government-contracted garbage trucks in Tin Shui Wai early this morning.

The woman, Ms Chong, was hit by the first of of two garbage trucks driven in convoy by Mr So, 56, and Mr Lee, 60, along Tin Ha Road at 6:35 this morning. After being struck by So’s truck, the elderly woman was then trapped underneath the second truck and dragged along the road.

Neither driver was aware of the woman’s plight until the trucks stopped at a traffic light further down the road. Bus passengers waiting at the bus stop noticed the woman trapped under Lee’s truck and alerted the driver.

Fire crews rescued Chong but she was certified dead at the scene.

Police arrested both So and Lee for dangerous driving causing death.

The drivers were working as contractors for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), a body tainted with accusations of dangerous driving numerous times in the past.

An Ombudsman investigation into dangerous driving by an FEHD official in December 2019 passed the blame to contractors who, FEHD said, “failed to heed the instruction given by [an FEHD] Officer.”

“The Department has reminded the contractor to heed the instruction given by the department and to observe the traffic regulation as to minimize inconvenience to the public,” said FEHD in response to that Ombudsman’s investigation.

FEHD today said it was “deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident”.

“The vehicle concerned belongs to a FEHD outsourced service contractor, and was driven by a contractor driver. Police are investigating the traffic accident,” said a spokeswoman.