The Fire Services Department today said the casualty information it provided to the media accurately reflected the observations and records of its personnel at the scene.

The department made the statement in response to online rumours alleging that it deliberately concealed the actual number of casualties in an incident at MTR Prince Edward Station on August 31.

In the statement, it said netizens speculated that the number of injuries was improperly altered as the Ambulance Incident Officer had revised the number of injured people from 10 to seven in his operational messages.

The department said the situation in the station was chaotic and that some injured people may have been repeatedly counted in the initial headcount by ambulance personnel.

After the seven casualties were treated, triaged, and assembled to the designated location, no one else on the platform indicated the need for ambulance service.

When handling incidents with multiple casualties, the department said an officer at the scene would first conduct a headcount of casualties and report the preliminary estimate to the Fire Services Communications Centre for its dispatch of additional resources and manpower to boost the rescue operation’s efficiency.

In such incidents, the number of casualties initially counted would be updated from time to time, it said, adding the number of casualties to be handled eventually is usually different from the initial figure.

It stressed the seven casualties who needed ambulance service at the scene were all escorted by ambulance personnel to MTR Lai Chi Kok Station by a specially arranged train and were transported to Caritas Medical Centre and Princess Margaret Hospital by pre-arranged ambulances.