Five injured as fire sweeps through boats at Hong Kong’s Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter

Several explosions heard as smoke billowed over Shau Kei Wan; five people taken to hospital

Published: 3:45pm, 27 Sep 2015

A big fire destroyed at least 10 boats, sending palls of black smoke high up into the sky and leaving at least five people injured and two fishing families homeless as it swept through the typhoon shelter in Shau Kei Wan early yesterday afternoon.

Loud explosions were reportedly heard on the other side of Victoria Harbour as the vessels burned, and some nearby residents reported that smoke billowed around their high-rise homes at the height of the fire.

Some of the boats moored in the typhoon shelter at Aldrich Bay were reduced to their frames, and at least one was reported to have sunk.

The blaze broke out around 2pm in the typhoon shelter, which was packed as many fishing boats had returned for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Initial reports said a fishing boat was the first to catch fire. It burned so fiercely that its anchor rope reportedly broke, allowing it to drift and setting neighbouring vessels on fire.

Six fireboats and more than 150 firemen were sent to tackle the blaze. Officers quickly upgraded the fire to No 3 alarm at 2.38pm and led two men and three women to the shore. They suffered minor injuries and were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment.

Firemen investigate of burned boats at Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter. Photo: Sam Tsang

Fire Services Department marine and offshore islands divisional commander Chan Wai-ho denied the fireboats had arrived late, but said sea traffic in the typhoon shelter was initially congested as some boats tried to leave the shelter to avoid the fire, thereby blocking arriving fireboats.

"[Another] difficulty was the windy weather, which spread the fire to other boats," Chan said.

Jane Candlish, a resident of the private Grand Promenade estate that overlooks Aldrich Bay, said: "We were in a restaurant … and saw a massive plume of black smoke rising from behind [Grand Promenade].

"More boats caught fire and there were more explosions ... We saw massive pieces of smoky debris being blown around. The air was so toxic we then came upstairs to the 46th floor which was surrounded by smoke."

One sobbing fisherman, Chan Ping, told reporters that his house boat had been completely destroyed. "I did not buy insurance for the house boat. And I may need HK$2 million to HK$3 million to buy a new one."

Watch: Fire blazes through boats in Shau Kei Wan's typhoon shelter

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