Fire caused by short circuit of phone charger in Hong Kong flat injures 4, kills cat
Police say blaze broke out at flat in Lai Yiu Estate in Kwai Chung, leading to temporary evacuation of 150 residents
A fire triggered by a mobile phone charger that short-circuited in a Hong Kong flat has killed a cat, injured four residents and led to the evacuation of about 150 others.
Police received a report at 11.15pm on Friday that a fire had broken out at a flat in Lai Yiu Estate’s Fu Yiu House in Kwai Chung. Firefighters arrived at the scene and put out the fire at 11.30pm.
Two men and two women, aged between 42 and 75, were injured. They were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for treatment.
Three of the injured felt unwell after inhaling smoke, while a 69-year-old woman who lived in the fire-hit flat suffered burns on her leg. Her cat was also killed in the blaze.
According to police, the woman said her phone, which was charging at the time, caught fire. She tried to put it out but in vain, and eventually left the flat to seek help.