Hong Kong woman critical, three pet dogs die in Mong Kok flat fire
- The blaze broke out in the second-floor flat of Tai Chung Building on Ivy Street around 11.30pm on Thursday
- Police say woman, 32, had a habit of smoking in bed and that might have caused the fire after she fell asleep
A pet trainer was fighting for her life in a Hong Kong hospital on Friday after being rescued by firefighters from her burning flat.
Her three pet dogs – a golden retriever and two mongrels – died in the blaze, which broke out in the second-floor flat of Tai Chung Building on Ivy Street in Mong Kok shortly before 11.30pm on Thursday.
A police source said the woman, 32, had a habit of smoking in bed and it was possible a cigarette butt had caused the fire after she fell asleep.
Officials under pressure over building safety standards after fire rips through flat
Neighbours raised the alarm at around 11.27pm when they saw smoke billowing out of the flat.
About 250 residents fled the 14-storey building before the arrival of emergency personnel.
“Firefighters broke into the flat and found an unconscious woman in a bedroom,” a police spokesman said.
The woman was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, where she remained in a critical condition on Friday morning.
Woman, 34, killed in fire at Hong Kong public housing flat, 100 evacuated
Her three dogs were also pulled from the burning flat by firefighters, but later died at the scene.
It took about 30 minutes to douse the flames before affected residents were allowed to return to their homes.
The woman, who works as a pet trainer, was alone in the flat when the fire broke out. Her boyfriend, who is employed by a logistics firm, was at work at the time of the incident.
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances connected to the blaze.
