Hong Kong cancels Lunar New Year fireworks as an ‘expression of citywide mourning’

(Hong Kong) : According to South China Morning Post, Chief Executive Carrie Lam calls decision to do away with the Lunar New Year fireworks display slated for this Saturday ( February 17) an ‘expression of citywide mourning’. It has been called off out of respect for the victims of the city’s deadliest traffic accident in more than a decade.

It was reported that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the cancellation as donations to the 84 families affected by the tragedy doubled to HK$42.5 million. Police on Monday night pressed a charge of causing death by dangerous driving against the 30-year-old KMB bus driver. He was expected to appear at Fanling Court on Tuesday.

Nineteen people died and 66 others were injured on Saturday when a KMB double-decker travelling from Sha Tin racecourse towards Tai Po suddenly swerved out of control and flipped on its side while making a turn near Tai Po Mei. Six people were still in hospital in critical condition on Monday evening.

President Xi Jinping expressed “condolences and sympathy” to the families of the victims on Monday night. He instructed the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong to convey to the chief executive his sadness over the deaths and injuries, Xinhua reported.