Fire pump ‘not in working order’ when massive blaze engulfed Hong Kong skyscraper, authorities reveal

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.

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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.

It was the second blaze recorded at the former Mariners’ Club site in half a year, with 50 workers forced to evacuate last September after low-level bamboo scaffolding caught fire.

The cause of Thursday’s fire was still under investigation, the department said, adding that no suspicious element had been noted.

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But it said building contractors or responsible parties must inform the local fire station of any defects, temporary shutdowns, or alterations to facilities. Failure to do so could result in the issuance of fire hazard abatement notices which were enforceable by law, it added.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Keung Sai-ming last week said a lack of proper fire safety equipment on the site and the massive 60-by-80 metre (196-by-262 foot) area involved, as well as the dry and windy weather, ensured the blaze spread quickly and took a long time to put out.

There were only some temporary fire safety devices for construction sites and also lots of building materials such as planks and metal rods obstructing firefighters, Keung said.

Inspectors from the Buildings Department earlier confirmed the structure, its lifts, and two tower cranes on the roof were stable.

External bamboo scaffolding damaged by the blaze would either be further secured or removed by the site contractor for safety considerations, a spokesman said.

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The site is a redevelopment of the former Mariners’ Club, with its completion initially scheduled for last year.

The club, for city and visiting sailors, opened in 1967, and was demolished in 2018. Property developer the Empire Group is building the 500-room Kimpton Hotel. The building with a space of 340,000 sq ft will also house the historic club.