A tragic fire broke out in a residential unit in Mong Kok late on Thursday, resulting in three fatalities—including a six-year-old boy—and leaving one woman injured. Two cats also perished in the blaze.
The incident occurred at around 11pm yesterday at Kin Wong Mansion Phase 2 on Sai Yee Street. Multiple residents reported seeing smoke and flames coming from a third-floor unit.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and found a 75-year-old woman, surnamed Au, clinging to the exterior wall of the unit, calling for help. She was rescued using a hydraulic platform.
Upon entering the unit, firefighters discovered three unconscious male victims—a six-year-old boy, a 53-year-old man surnamed Lee, and an 80-year-old man surnamed Chan.
Despite immediate CPR efforts at the scene, all three were pronounced dead at Kwong Wah Hospital by early this morning (August 1). The rescued woman, who suffered smoke inhalation, was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in stable condition.
Two cats—a Scottish Fold and a British Shorthair—were also found lifeless inside the unit and later collected by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
Investigations revealed that the deceased and the injured woman lived together in the same unit. The 53-year-old man was the son of the injured woman, while the six-year-old boy was her great-grandson. The 80-year-old man was reportedly her boyfriend. Authorities are still determining the cause of the fire.
Around 48 residents—20 men and 28 women—were safely evacuated during the incident.
A pair of siblings living on the fourth floor recounted getting a burning smell before seeing firefighters break into the unit below, adding that the evacuation went smoothly.
Speaking to the press, Senior Station Officer Kwan Yiu-ki said the fire was reported at 11.13pm, with crews arriving four minutes later.
The blaze was concentrated in the third-floor unit, where firefighters found the woman trapped outside. Inside, they located the unconscious boy, the 53-year-old man, and a cat in the bathroom, the elderly man in the kitchen, and the other cat inside a cage in the living room.
(Marco Lam)
