200 residents evacuated from Kwai Chung housing block after fire engulfs apartment

Residents in a housing block in Kwai Chung were forced to evacuate just before 8 am Wednesday after a fire broke out in an apartment unit.

Photos of the scene at Hiu Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate, showed flames engulfing a 14th floor apartment as heavy smoke charred the exterior of the building and debris from the windows rained down.

Around 200 residents evacuated from their homes. Firefighters extinguished the flames in about 10 minutes, Apple Daily reported. Some living on higher floors took refuge on the building’s rooftop.

Four people living in the apartment where the fire started where sent to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Read more: Man leaps 3 meters from rooftop to adjacent building in Hung Hom to escape fire

A visually impaired woman, surnamed Chiang, told HK01 she was asleep when the fire broke out. A worker at the building’s management office helped Chiang, accompanied by her guide dog, to escape.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.