A man was found dead on a platform after an apartment in Sham Shui Po was set on fire early Thursday morning due to a short circuit from a charging lithium battery.
Police received multiple reports around 4 am about billowing smoke and sounds of an explosion from a unit on the 28th floor of Hey Home on Yee Kuk Street.
Notably, one resident reported that his unit was on fire and he was trapped inside his room.
The fire department arrived at the scene approximately 4 minutes later, deploying two water jets and two breathing apparatus teams to extinguish the fire.
A total of 10 fire trucks and 3 ambulances, with a total of 58 firefighters and paramedics dispatched.
Firefighters later discovered a man lying unconscious on the platform of the third floor, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
During the incident, two individuals were evacuated, while 58 others managed to escape to safety on their own.
Initial investigations suggested that the deceased may have fallen from a height while trying to escape. The 41-year-old man, surname Shiu, was reportedly a photographer in the news department of TVB.
The deceased's body was transported to the morgue around 10am, and the cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, with sources indicating the fire was caused by a short circuit from a charging lithium camera battery in the living room, where severe burns were found.
In response to media inquiries, a spokesperson from TVB expressed grief over the tragic incident and offered condolences to their colleague's family, adding that they will provide appropriate assistance.
(Phoebe Poon)
