Hong Kong woman, 63, dies of burns after pyjamas catch fire on gas stove
- Woman ran out of public housing flat with her pyjamas on fire to get help from neighbours, insider says
- She suffered severe burns to her back and died at scene, source adds
A 63-year-old Hong Kong woman died on Monday after her gas stove set fire to her pyjamas and caused severe burns.
The woman ran out of her public housing flat with her clothing ablaze to seek help from her neighbours.
“The woman [with difficulty in walking] was shouting for help when she walked out of the flat, alerting her neighbours,” a source familiar with the case said.
He added the clothing on the woman’s upper body was on fire, but extinguished outside her flat before emergency services arrived.
Fire alarm may have failed to alert residents of Hong Kong building to blaze
The woman suffered serious burns to her back and was pronounced dead at the scene, the source said.
He added preliminary investigations suggested the woman’s pyjamas caught fire when she turned on a gas stove to cook. She was alone at the time.
The incident happened at the victim’s home in Wah Ming House, Wah Fu Estate, Pok Fu Lam at about 12.40pm.
The insider said the investigation suggested it was an “accident” and an autopsy would be carried out to establish the cause of death.
A 79-year-old man suffered burns to 30 per cent of his body after a gas explosion in a public housing flat in the New Territories about six hours earlier.
Emergency personnel found the man, who lived alone, at the scene with burns to his head, hands and chest.
He was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital for treatment.
Hongkonger dies, another critically hurt after ‘suspicious’ subdivided flat blaze
More than 250 residents fled from the public housing block before emergency personnel arrived.
Police said the explosion happened at about 6.15am after the man switched on a gas stove to cook at his sixth-floor flat of Hung Lok House at Hung Fuk Estate in Yuen Long.
Another source said preliminary investigation had found no suspicious circumstances.
A police spokeswoman said authorities, including the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, had launched an investigation into the incident.
