The incident occurred on Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, where photos circulating online showed the front half of the carriage had mounted the pavement and hit a store.
No one was injured.
In a statement, the department said the motorman was suspended from duties, and that it instructed Hong Kong Tramways to probe the incident.
“To ensure public and operational safety, the TD has instructed the Tramways to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of incident, and submit an investigation report within one month, clearly setting out the cause of the accident and practical improvement recommendations to prevent recurrence of similar accidents,” a spokesman said.
The department said it held an urgent meeting with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and Hong Kong Tramways following the incident.
A police investigation is also under way.
