A Hunan native allegedly chopped his wife to death at 4.30am yesterday before setting his Macau apartment on fire.

The man, in his forties and surnamed Chen, was charged with arson and killing yesterday.

The first fire engine arriving at the Hua Iong Building, just south of downtown Macau, had a ladder that failed to operate. Two residents in the burning apartment had to escape by climbing down a rope made from clothes.