A 67-year-old man died on Friday after reportedly losing his footing and falling into a swimming pool while conducting maintenance work at a detached house in Sheung Shui.

Police were alerted to the incident when the worker was discovered unconscious in the pool of a villa situated near the junction of Kam Tsin and Kam Chui roads.

Emergency services rushed the man to North District Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Officers said preliminary investigations indicate that the worker had been repairing a canopy approximately three metres high when he accidentally slipped, leading to the fatal fall.

The Labour Department said it would complete an investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident and take appropriate legal action if any violations of work safety laws are found.

"We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the work on the canopy of the detached house concerned," a spokesman said in a statement.

"The contractors cannot resume the work process until the Labour Department is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."
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Last updated: 2025-05-17 HKT 12:53