SHIRLEY ZHAO
UPDATED : Sunday, 26 June, 2016, 12:26am
The deadly Ngau Tau Kok blaze has finally been extinguished – after burning for more than 108 hours.
The Fire Services Department announced the industrial building inferno – which killed two firefighters – was put out at 11.15pm on Saturday, with 35 fire engines, two ambulances, more than 190 firefighters and first-aid staff, and four fire hoses used to battle it.
Photos of ‘unimaginable’ Hong Kong fire released for first time
The fire started at 10.59am on Tuesday and quickly escalated to level four – the highest level in Hong Kong is five – that evening. It lasted a total of 108 hours and 16 minutes.
Firefighters Thomas Cheung, 30, and Samuel Hui Chi-kit, 37, lost their lives while battling the inferno.
Earlier Saturday, a cross-department task force was announced to investigate whether a criminal act was behind the fire.
Police have looked at surveillance footage from inside the Amoycan Industrial Centre but found no evidence of arson so far.
“Initial investigation has found that no suspicious people were there to set the place on fire. But the probe is still ongoing,” assistant district commander for crime Yin Hiu-yu said.
A firefighter on the scene. Photo: Dickson Lee
Led by the Fire Services Department, the task force also includes police, the Government Laboratory, and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.
As well as probing the cause of the blaze, it will investigate the deaths of the two firefighters, review industrial buildings and assess the Fire Services Department’s work procedures.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1981564/deadly-ngau-tau-kok-blaze-finally-extinguished-more-108
