A deadly fire broke out late night (May 21) at a residential building in Hong Kong's Jordan district, killing one person and injuring four others, as firefighters battled flames from a unit in a building covered with scaffolding and protective mesh during renovation works.
Police said they received reports at around 10:49 p.m. that a fire had erupted in a high-floor flat at Man Yuen Building on Man Yuen Street in Jordan. Flames and thick smoke were seen billowing from the unit's windows.
As the building was undergoing major maintenance works and its exterior was covered with bamboo scaffolding and protective netting, firefighters upgraded the incident to a No. 2 alarm fire and deployed additional resources to the scene. Fire crews used aerial ladders to douse the blaze and dispatched breathing apparatus teams into the building for search and rescue operations.
Police imposed traffic control measures in the surrounding area and assisted with evacuations. Roads around Man Yuen Street, Man Shing Street, Man Ying Street and Man Cheong Street were closed from 11:05 p.m. before reopening at around 2:30 a.m. A total of 73 police officers were deployed during the operation.
DotDotNews reporter at the scene observed flames shooting from the affected flat, though the fire did not appear to spread further externally. Around 300 residents were evacuated from the building. At least four people suffered smoke inhalation or leg injuries and were sent to hospital.
According to preliminary information from the scene, firefighters discovered one deceased person inside the fire site.
Some residents said subdivided flats were located on the affected floor.
Mr. Lee, a resident living on the 16th floor, said awareness of fire escape procedures had increased following the Wang Fuk Court fire. As the fire was not severe at the time, his family evacuated via the staircase. He added that the building's fire alarm had sounded during the incident.
Another resident, Ah Keung, who lives on the 12th floor, said he and his family covered their mouths and noses with towels while escaping down the stairs. As he evacuated, he knocked on doors floor by floor to alert neighbours to flee the building.
Related News:
Watch This | Restaurant fire on Lam Hing Street, Kowloon Bay: Thick smoke blankets street
Comment