Six injured in fire in subdivided flat

(Credits to SCMP)

Six people were injured, one critically, in a fire on Sunday at a subdivided flat in Yau Ma Tei, once again sparking concerns about the safety of these living spaces.

The fire started in a 560 square feet flat divided into nine units on the first floor of the 49-year-old Man Yuen Building in Man Wai Street. According to a security guard, among the eight flats on the first floor, five are subdivided and another two are used as storage by a supermarket. Most of the subdivided flats are rented to South Asians. There are also many hostels operating in the building, many of which are unlicensed.

"I could have died," said Papy Kayembe, who has been paying HK$2,500 a month for an 80 sq ft cardboard-divided unit for two years. "I couldn't see through the smoke and had difficulties breathing … I had to drink four bottles of water after escaping from the building. I swear I will not renew my contract."

Firefighters rescued residents who had escaped to the canopy or the scaffolding, leading 33 people out of the building and 55 escaped by themselves. Those who were injured were treated in Kwong Wah Hospital.

Yiu Yau-pon, acting chief of Kowloon Fire Command, South Division, said they were still investigating the cause of the fire. It appeared that the fire alarm had not rung for reasons yet unknown.

The Buildings Department said that there were subdivided flats and it would check whether any illegal work had been carried out.

Yesterday's fire came a day after the second anniversary of a blaze in Mong Kok that claimed the lives of nine residents of subdivided flats. A housing committee commissioned by the government proposed in September that subdivided flats should be licensed to better regulate fire safety standards.