(26 January 2025) There have been recurring incidents of elderly residents forgetting to turn off their stoves while cooking from time to time. Through the networks of its Community Relations Focus Team, Towngas has been offering its self-developed Smart Controllers to elderly residents living alone, helping them monitor their stove usage in real-time via a mobile app – providing a heartwarming and reassuring Lunar New Year gift.
Ms Yuen, who lives in Lam Tin, recently had such a forgetful moment. “I was reheating some soup and went out forgetting to turn off the stove. With my children studying abroad, no one was home. Fortunately, my neighbour noticed the burning smell early and helped call the police.”
Through coordination with a District Councillor, Towngas’s Community Relations Focus Team visited Ms Yuen to install a Smart Controller on her existing stove and taught her how to monitor stove usage and use the remote shut-off feature via the mobile app. “Even people with good memory can be careless sometimes,” Ms Yuen said. “Now with the Smart Controller reminding me to turn off the stove. It’s much safer, and I don’t have to worry when I’m out volunteering.” She mentioned that another elderly resident living in the same area once forgot to turn off the stove before leaving home, only discovering it upon return. Fortunately, only the soup pot was scorched. She believes the Smart Controller can help many more elderly residents.
Kwun Tong District Councillor Mr Yu Siu-lun pointed out that Lam Tin has many housing estates that are 30 to 40 years old, with about 10% of residents being elderly people living alone who need community support. “Incidents of elderly residents forgetting to turn off their stoves happen frequently. Towngas’s Smart Controller helps improve home safety for the elderly and their families, allowing relatives to provide better care and attention.”
Mr Fung Sun-keng, District Head of Community Relations Focus Team at Towngas serving Kwun Tong, stated that Towngas actively promotes innovation by incorporating smart technology into their products and services to enhance user experience and assist those in need. “With just WiFi and a smartphone, remote stove control becomes possible, preventing accidents before they happen. We previously donated these devices to elderly residents with dementia and their carers through social service organisations. We hope to expand this initiative to more elderly residents living alone in the community to help more people in need.”
Mr Yu added, “These smart products not only directly help the elderly but also indirectly allow carers to monitor their well-being. For instance, if we notice that an elderly resident hasn’t used gas for cooking or bathing for several days, we can follow up promptly to prevent unattended accidents.” He welcomes the development of more innovative smart products that benefit users.
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Photo 1:
Mr Fung Sun-keng (left), District Head of Community Relations Focus Team, demonstrates the Smart Controller to District Councillor Mr Yu Siu-lun (right) and Ms Yuen (centre).
Photo 2:
District Councillor Mr Yu Siu-lun believes it helps improve home safety for elderly residents living alone, while Ms Yuen finds the Smart Controller particularly useful for those who frequently go out.
Photo 3:
The Smart Controller can monitor stove status and send real-time notifications to connected mobile phones.
Photo 4:
Users can turn off their stoves remotely via mobile phone at any time.
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The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited