Dozens have lucky escape in Tsim Sha Tsui building blaze

About 100 residents were forced to flee their homes yesterday morning when a blaze broke out at a 40-year-old building in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The fire started in an empty flat on the fourth floor of the Comfort Building in Nathan Road shortly after 8.10am and was upgraded to a No3 alarm 20 minutes later.

Fire Services Department Kowloon South divisional officer Yau Wai-keung said officers' efforts to put out the fire were made difficult by the flat's cluttered state.

'The flat in question was about six metres by 20 metres and was divided into a front and rear section,' he said.

'As the flat was relatively small and was crowded with sundries, we had to remove them first in order to fight the fire.

'This was the main difficulty we encountered.'

Four teams trained three hoses on the blaze to bring it under control. Mr Yau said about 100 firefighters and 23 fire engines were involved.