A 71-year-old wheelchair-bound man died in a fire at Man Yuen Building in Jordan on Thursday night, suspected to have been unable to escape in time, police said.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The fire broke out around 10.49pm on the 13th floor, where a subdivided unit measuring about 6 by 8 metres had been divided into nine smaller units. The fire started in the innermost unit, where the victim was found. About 300 residents evacuated on their own or with assistance.
The Fire Services Department deployed 20 fire engines, 10 ambulances and 106 personnel, using one jet and two breathing apparatus teams. The blaze was largely extinguished by 11.53pm.
Four people were taken to hospital – one man in serious condition, two men and one woman with minor injuries suffering from smoke inhalation. Another man was pronounced dead at the scene.
+1
The building had scaffolding and netting on its exterior, but firefighters confirmed the building's fire services equipment were in effective working order with a valid annual inspection certificate. A rapid response team inspected the equipment after the fire.
Police said there was no initial evidence suggesting criminal involvement. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The victim lived with his wife, who collects cardboard for a living. She was said to have broken down in tears upon learning of his death. His body was taken away by a Food and Environmental Hygiene Department undertaker in the early hours of Friday.
After the fire, the wife was seen pushing a handcart containing cardboard boxes and foam boxes in Man Shing Street, frequently looking back at the vehicle carrying her husband's body with a sorrowful expression.
Two residents were accommodated at a temporary shelter.
