Two men remained in critical condition Sunday after a three-alarm blaze tore through the Chinachem Tower, a commercial building on Connaught Road in Hong Kong’s bustling Central district, fire officials said.
The fire, reported at 4:24 p.m. Saturday, engulfed the 22-story tower’s exterior, which was shrouded in scaffolding for ongoing renovations. Flames spread rapidly to adjacent structures, prompting a massive response from the Fire Services Department.
A 23-year-old man surnamed Ngai and a 55-year-old man surnamed Lam were hospitalized with severe breathing difficulties after being overcome by smoke, authorities said. Two others — a 65-year-old man surnamed Chung and a 35-year-old woman surnamed Yeung — were found unconscious on a staircase between the third and fourth floors and were listed in stable condition.
Firefighters arrived four minutes after the initial alert and upgraded the blaze to a three-alarm fire eight minutes later following public reports of trapped individuals. The department deployed 184 firefighters, 36 fire engines, 15 ambulances, four water jets, four breathing apparatus teams, two hydraulic platform water towers and drones to monitor the fire’s spread from the perimeter.
The blaze was contained by 5:46 p.m., brought under control by 7 p.m. and fully extinguished by 9:13 p.m.
About 50 occupants evacuated the building on their own before crews arrived, officials said. No deaths were reported.
The Fire Services Department has launched an investigation into the fire’s cause and its rapid spread. The Buildings Department sent inspectors to the site Sunday morning to assess structural damage.
Nearby fast food restaurants and convenience stores remained closed Sunday due to the incident.
The Chinachem Tower houses offices and retail spaces in one of Hong Kong’s busiest financial districts. The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.
