Tourist, 21, killed by moving coffin as he walked through haunted house called ‘Buried Alive’
A STUDENT killed by a moving coffin inside a haunted house attraction had wandered into a restricted zone, an inquest heard.
Cheung Chiu-kit died after entering the Halloween attraction 'Buried Alive' at popular Ocean Park in Hong Kong with pals.
The 21-year-old was found unconscious behind a mechanical slide which was off-limits to visitors and was certified dead soon after he was rushed to hospital.
An initial investigation claimed he had been hit by the coffin when it was being lowered from above.
The horror accident took place just two days after the attraction had been certified safe by the local authorities, a Coroner’s Court was told.
How he ended up in the restricted area remains a mystery as it was supposed to be guarded by staff and covered by multiple surveillance cameras.
Joel Brett Talacko, who designed the attraction, said players started the ride by entering a closed coffin box on the first storey before sliding down to the ground floor.
Revellers then move through the haunted house where they would experience what the park's website describes as "a rocky maze filled with dreadful ghouls".
Talacko said the park had a range of safety measures to guarantee a smooth gaming experience, including staff who would direct the players at both ends of the slide.
There were also at least 10 surveillance cameras installed inside the coffin and on both levels of the spooky attraction.
However he admitted the slide did not have a sensor that could halt its movement when it hit someone underneath.
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Describing the ride, the park's website said visitors would "experience being buried alive alone, before fighting their way out of their dark and eerie grave".
Cheung was friends with an employee of a Swire Group subsidiary and had visited Ocean Park as part of an annual staff event organised by the company.
The government ordered the closure of 'Buried Alive' immediately after the tragedy in September 2017.