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Most of the dozen trainee fire and ambulance services personnel under investigation for sneaking out of the training school in Tseung Kwan O without permission have resigned, it emerged on Monday night.
The Fire Services Department confirmed on Monday night that some of the 12 trainees involved had handed in applications to resign, which had been accepted.
A spokesman said they turned in the resignations when they were met by investigators in an internal probe on Friday and Monday. But the number of trainees who quit was not disclosed.
Their truancies were exposed when the trainees, including two station officers, eight firemen and two ambulance officers, who were all on probation, failed to show up for an emergency response training session at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy on the night of August 11, the eve of their graduations.
Media reported that 11 of the concerned trainees had resigned, while the remaining trainee said he had missed the training because he was sick.
Earlier reports said that they sneaked out to hand their family members and friends admission tickets for the passing-out parade that was held in the academy the following day.
The spokesman said the investigation would continue, and would include an examination of the related security camera footage. Should there be any contravention of regulations, the department would handle the matter according to the existing disciplinary mechanism.
A total of 171 recruited firefighters and ambulance officers graduated on Friday. They had undergone 26 weeks of training at the academy.
(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)
