Five injured as fire sweeps through boats at Hong Kong’s Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter

A big fire destroyed at least 10 boats, sending palls of black smoke high up into the sky and leaving at least five people injured and two fishing families homeless as it swept through the typhoon shelter in Shau Kei Wan early yesterday afternoon.

Loud explosions were reportedly heard on the other side of Victoria Harbour as the vessels burned, and some nearby residents reported that smoke billowed around their high-rise homes at the height of the fire.

Some of the boats moored in the typhoon shelter at Aldrich Bay were reduced to their frames, and at least one was reported to have sunk.

The blaze broke out around 2pm in the typhoon shelter, which was packed as many fishing boats had returned for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Initial reports said a fishing boat was the first to catch fire. It burned so fiercely that its anchor rope reportedly broke, allowing it to drift and setting neighbouring vessels on fire.

Six fireboats and more than 150 firemen were sent to tackle the blaze. Officers quickly upgraded the fire to No 3 alarm at 2.38pm and led two men and three women to the shore. They suffered minor injuries and were taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment.

Fire Services Department marine and offshore islands divisional commander Chan Wai-ho denied the fireboats had arrived late, but said sea traffic in the typhoon shelter was initially congested as some boats tried to leave the shelter to avoid the fire, thereby blocking arriving fireboats.