On Sunday 4 September, a fire tore through Yau Ma Tei Wholesale Fruit Market, leading to at least 10 stalls being burnt. The fire first broke out at a stall built from metal sheets. Firefighters and police officers went to the scene after receiving several reports from nearby residents.
Kowloon West divisional commander of fire services Lo Kam-wing said around 40 people were evacuated and no casualties were reported.
“The area of fire was as large as 20m by 30m. We are still looking into the cause of fire and no explosions were reported,” Lo said.
It is understood that dangerous goods including compressed gases were found near the site of the fire.
Television images showed large swathes of mesh and metal scaffolding alight in a blaze among the stalls, while loud cracks were reportedly heard as the stalls burned. Some residents in the area reported smoke billowing around their high-rise homes at the height of the fire.
The fire was contained shortly after 8pm and put out at 9.19pm. The department deployed 154 fire services personnel, 32 fire trucks, four ambulances and mobilised eight jets.
Au Nok-him, a Legislative Council candidate for the wholesale and retail functional constituency, said he rushed to the market immediately upon hearing about the fire.
He quoted a shopkeeper as saying the blaze was caused by another shopkeeper doing some welding.
The fruit market, founded in 1913, comprises several blocks of buildings made of bricks and stone.
