Fire pump ‘not in working order’ when massive blaze engulfed Hong Kong skyscraper, authorities reveal
- Blaze in Tsim Sha Tsui broke out at around 11pm on Thursday and burned until about 8.30am on Friday
- Electrical pump on ground floor of construction site was not in working order, a situation that constituted a fire hazard, authorities say
An electrical fire pump at an under-construction skyscraper was not working when a huge blaze engulfed the building in a major Hong Kong shopping district late on Thursday, authorities have disclosed.
The water pump on the ground floor of the construction site serving the 48-storey scaffold-covered tower in Tsim Sha Tsui was “found not in working order” during the blaze, the Fire Services Department told the Post on Monday.
“That situation constituted a fire hazard, and therefore, a fire hazard abatement notice was issued to the responsible person,” a department spokesman added, without providing details about the non-functioning equipment.
The blaze on the Middle Road site broke out at around 11pm on Thursday and was upgraded to a No 4 alarm fire on the one-to-five scale of seriousness at 1.46am on Friday. It burned until about 8.30am.
The area was blanketed with red-hot embers and falling debris, which forced the evacuation of about 170 people from nearby buildings as 250 firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.
One bystander reported chest discomfort and was sent to hospital, police said.
According to a circular issued by the department, water-relaying facilities must be provided for high-rise buildings under construction with a design height over 30 metres to help firefighters tackle blazes.