Smoke billows from the old Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon Bay, where five firefighters aged 26 to 44 were injured yesterday after inhaling heavy smoke while battling a blaze.
Fifty-one workers were evacuated when the fire broke out shortly after 9.30am on the first floor of the passenger terminal building, which is being demolished. It then spread to the upper floors.
It took firefighters more than five hours to put out the blaze using eight jets and 12 teams with breathing apparatus.
The Fire Services Department said the tower's fire system was no longer workable and the design of the building made fighting the blaze difficult.
The five injured firefighters were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Three were discharged in the afternoon and the other two last night.
