Elderly man dies after blaze in Hong Kong flat
The man, believed to be aged over 80, was found lying on kitchen floor and declared dead by paramedics at the scene
Hong Kong authorities are investigating the death of an elderly man who was found unconscious in a public housing flat in Tin Shui Wai during a blaze on Thursday.
Emergency services were called to Wah Yuet House in Tin Wah Estate after neighbours reported seeing smoke coming from the 22nd-floor flat.
Firefighters broke into the flat and found the man lying in the kitchen.
The man, thought to be aged over 80, was declared dead by paramedics at the scene.
“A stove and a washing machine caught fire in the flat and firefighters used the building’s hose reel jet to douse the flames at 2.54pm,” a spokeswoman of the Fire Services Department said.
Two killed, four injured in Hong Kong public estate fire
Four fire engines and an ambulance were sent to the scene.
Police and firefighters are investigating how he died and the cause of the first-alarm fire.
In 2017, the department received a total of 33,934 fire calls, an 11 per cent decrease compared to 2016.
Fire incidents last year claimed 21 lives with 335 people injured and 9,231 rescued.
