Sheung Wan tenement building fire leaves 1 dead, 3 injured
Hong Kong Free Press
An elderly woman has died in a tenement building fire in Sheung Wan that also left three others injured.
Police received reports about a fire on Gough Street at around 10 pm on Monday. Firefighters were deployed to the site of the blaze.
An 86-year-old woman surnamed Lui was pronounced dead on the scene before the blaze firefighters put out the blaze at around 11 pm. Two women, one aged 66 and the other aged 29, as well as a 29-year-old man, were taken to Queen Mary Hospital due to discomfort from inhaling smoke.
The 66-year-old was the daughter-in-law of the deceased, and the two 29-year-olds were a couple, according to a police statement. About 16 people evacuated the building.
The octogenarian’s cause of death is pending a post-mortem examination.
Sole inhabitant
According to a preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by a short-circuited TV. There was also no evidence at the current stage to suggest that criminal elements were involved, the police statement read.
Lui, who had difficulty walking, was the sole inhabitant of the 500-square foot flat, while her son lived in another unit on the fifth floor, according to local media reports.
Last April, five people died in a fire at New Lucky House in Jordan. More than 30 people were also injured in the tenement building blaze, which left guesthouses, a gym, and subdivided flats in ashes. The blaze prompted discussions about fire safety in aging buildings.
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https://hongkongfp.com/2024/09/10/sheung-wan-tenement-building-fire-leaves-1-dead-3-injured/