Fire at Tsing Yi restaurant forces temporary closure of Maternal and Child Health Centre

A fire broke out at a Chinese restaurant inside Cheung Hong Commercial Centre in Tsing Yi late Wednesday morning, sending smoke through the mall and forcing around 60 people to evacuate. No injuries were reported.

The blaze began at about 10.55am when smoke and flames were seen coming from the restaurant’s kitchen exhaust duct. Firefighters arrived quickly and extinguished the fire within 22 minutes. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

According to on-site reports, the restaurant’s kitchen ventilation system caught fire, producing thick smoke that spread through the exhaust pipes.

Staff members promptly evacuated diners from the premises. One employee remarked with a smile that most customers had likely settled their bills before leaving, saying, “I think they did — I still saw people queuing up just now.”

The Department of Health said in a statement that due to the fire at Cheung Hong Commercial Centre No 1, the nearby Tsing Yi Maternal and Child Health Centre — located within the same building — had to close temporarily for several hours as a precaution.

All staff and visitors inside the health center were safely evacuated. After the fire was extinguished and the building was cleared for re-entry, health officers conducted a thorough inspection of the facility to ensure no damage had occurred.

The department confirmed that the health center resumed normal services around noon. It will proactively contact affected individuals who missed their appointments due to the temporary closure to arrange rescheduling.