Elderly woman dies in fire sparked by faulty air-conditioner in Hong Kong flat

Blaze ignited at Yu Tung Court in Tung Chung on Friday morning, with 300 people evacuated

A 70-year-old woman has died in a fire at a Hong Kong flat, with police suspecting it was caused by a malfunctioning air-conditioner.

The blaze broke out at Yu Tung Court’s Hei Tung House in Tung Chung on Friday, with police saying they received reports from several residents at around 4.42am.

“A woman was certified dead at the scene and her body was found when firefighters arrived,” a police spokesman said, adding that around 300 people had to be evacuated.

“Some residents said they saw black fumes coming out from the flat’s air-conditioner unit.”

Four flats on the same floor were affected and residents returned to their homes after the fire was extinguished at around 5.12am.

Police said no one had to be sent to hospital.