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Accidents and personal safety in Hong Kong
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Firefighters putting out the flames at the typhoon shelter. Photo: Facebook

Fire at Hong Kong typhoon shelter destroys one boat, damages five others

  • Aldrich Bay typhoon shelter in Shau Kei Wan was also the site of a big fire in 2015, with the latest case underscoring safety issues in such areas

A fire broke out at a packed typhoon shelter in Hong Kong on Monday, destroying one boat and damaging five others anchored nearby, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Loud explosions were reportedly heard as the vessels burned. One man sustained minor injuries to his arms.

The incident took place shortly before 3pm at Aldrich Bay typhoon shelter in Shau Kei Wan. Police said they received reports of a fire on a boat moored about 50 metres (164 feet) from the shore at about 2.54pm.

The flames were so intense that they damaged three fishing boats and two yachts nearby.

Black smoke rises from the fire on the boat. Photo: Facebook

Some residents in the area reported seeing smoke billowing past their high rises at the height of the fire.

Emergency services deployed two fire boats, classifying the incident as a second-alarm fire on a scale of one to five, with five being the most severe. Firefighters put out the flames in about an hour.

Firefighters went on board the first vessel that caught fire to investigate, and found equipment such as a gas cylinder.

Two injured in fire on yacht off the coast of Hong Kong Island

The boat, which was reduced to wreckage, eventually sank.

A man, 71, sustained minor burns to his arms and was sent to Eastern Hospital for treatment. Police said he remained conscious. His condition was later classified as “serious”.

Police said the fire was believed to be caused by a short circuit, with no suspicious circumstances.

Hong Kong’s typhoon shelters are often densely packed with fishing boats on public holidays and have long drawn concern over marine fire safety.

The Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter was also the site of a big fire in 2015 when at least 10 boats were destroyed, leaving two fishing families homeless.

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