At 2:08 am today (Feb. 25), the police received multiple reports from citizens regarding a fire in a lower unit of a Tong Lau on Tai Nan Street in Mong Kok. Firefighters arrived at the scene, directed water at the burning unit, and dispatched a rescue team to fight the fire, which was extinguished in approximately 11 minutes. During the incident, 33 people self-evacuated to safety, while 7 men and 1 woman experienced discomfort due to smoke inhalation and were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, and Caritas Medical Centre for treatment. The affected unit and the exterior walls of the two upper floors were charred.
Residents in the opposite building recorded a video of the incident, showing flames shooting from the window, accompanied by a large amount of thick smoke, with sparks falling during the fire.
Following an investigation, the fire department suspects that the fire was caused by an overheated charger inside the unit. There is currently no evidence indicating any criminal elements involved. The affected Tong Lau is five stories high and is now used as a student dormitory. A student living on the fifth floor reported that he smelled smoke at the time of the incident and immediately woke up five other students to escape down the stairs. He noted that at that time, the stairwell was filled with black smoke, resulting in some individuals having their faces and hands blackened.
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