Elderly woman dies in Wong Tai Sin flat fire, debris suspected cause
An 80-year-old woman died after a fire in her Wong Tai Sin flat on 15 November. Firefighters found her body in the living room. Initial investigations suggest the fire was caused by burning debris, with no criminal elements suspected.
An 80-year-old woman died after a fire broke out in her low-level flat at Lung Kwong House, Wong Tai Sin Estate, on the morning of 15 November. Firefighters found her body in the living room, about two metres from the entrance, with severe burns. The fire was reported at about 9am and was extinguished within half an hour.
About 300 residents evacuated themselves from the building. A 65-year-old woman from a high-level flat was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after inhaling smoke during the evacuation. Firefighters also assisted two other residents to safety without injury.
Senior fire officer Chan Chun-wai said the deceased lived alone. The flat was filled with a large amount of debris, which initial investigations suggest may have been ignited accidentally by a cigarette butt or incense paper. The debris was piled up to about 1.2 metres high, in some places reaching the ceiling, and included flammable items such as nylon bags, plastic bags and plastic bottles. A shrine was also found in the flat, which could have been a contributing factor.
The fire is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, but the case has been handed over to the Wong Tai Sin police district criminal investigation team for follow-up. Firefighters tested the building’s fire safety systems and found no abnormalities.