YAU MA TEI, Hong Kong – A raging fire tore through a residential building in Hong Kong’s densely populated Yau Ma Tei neighborhood early Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens more in one of the deadliest blazes to hit the semi-autonomous Chinese territory in years.
According to police report, a 39 years old Filipino male was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital with abrasions on the shoulder and forearm.
The fire broke out around 7:53 a.m. at New Lucky House on Jordan Road, sending flames shooting from windows as smoke billowed into the air. Within minutes, the blaze was upgraded to a No. 3 alarm, triggering a response from over 180 firefighters and 24 fire engines to the scene.
Despite their efforts, firefighters faced an uphill battle as the fire raged through the aging commercial-residential building. Hong Kong leader John Lee expressed deep sadness over the “multiple deaths and injuries” caused by the inferno.
As of 11:30 a.m., authorities reported that five people had been certified dead and 40 others were sent to public hospitals. Harrowing scenes unfolded as some 150 residents were evacuated to safety, some wheeled out on stretchers by paramedics.
Fire services deployed two water jets and breathing apparatus teams to combat the blaze, which was finally brought under control at 8:54 a.m. The cause of the deadly fire remains under investigation.
Lee instructed emergency services to prioritize search and rescue efforts while vowing a comprehensive probe into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. He called on social welfare agencies to offer all necessary assistance to those displaced by the fire and the families of victims.
Wednesday’s fire underscores long-standing concerns over aging infrastructure and fire safety measures in Hong Kong’s working-class neighborhoods. It ranks among the territory’s worst blazes since a 2011 fire that killed nine people.
