‘I sensed the roof was going to collapse’: CityU security manager tells of lucky escape as he and students made last-minute evacuation

Quick thinking, fast action and “great fortune in the midst of misfortune” saved lives when a roof collapsed at City University’s Kowloon Tong campus last week, a security manager who had a narrow escape testified on Monday.

Fung Ping-yan was sporting a bandaged head, dark glasses to hide an eye injury, and the little finger of his right hand in splints as he faced the media to talk about how he and a handful of people fled a sports hall as the green roof came crashing down on Friday.

His last-minute decision to evacuate the Chan Tai Ho Multi-Purpose Hall, on the fifth floor of the Hu Fa Kuang Sports Centre, prevented a tragedy as the 1,400 square metre roof loaded with soil and vegetation collapsed moments later.

“I have worked at CityU for 24 years. I treat the students as my sons and daughters because I meet them every day,” Fung said.

“Whenever I find the situation is unsafe, I need to make a very quick decision to ensure the safety of the people around.”

He recalled it was around 2.20pm that fateful day when he was told of flooding in the hall because of a burst water pipe. He took some of his colleagues along to inspect the damage.