Hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate Lam Tin Estate, a public housing estate in east Kowloon, on Thursday evening after a fire broke out in a low-rise unit of Lam Wai House in the estate.
Emergency services first received reports of the fire from residents at 6:54 pm, and firefighters were promptly deployed to the scene with breathing apparatus and hose to tackle the flames. The fire was successfully extinguished by about 7:40 pm.
Preliminary investigations indicated the fire was caused by a short circuit in an electrical appliance inside the flat.
About 300 residents self-evacuated, some accompanied by their pets. They were later allowed to return to their homes.
Initial reports have confirmed that no one was injured in the fire. However, an elderly man, believed to have inhaled smoke, felt unwell and received treatment in an ambulance at the scene, but did not require hospitalization.
