A 58-year-old man is in critical condition and his pet dog dead after a fire in his apartment that lead to the evacuation of 70 residents this morning.
The man, surnamed Ng, was awakened by the smell of smoke in his sixth floor apartment in Florida Mansion, Causeway Bay, after his heater burst into flames at 5am.
The SCMP reports that he initially tried to put out the fire, but failed to do so and suffered multiple injuries.
He then ran out of the flat with his two dogs, a shetland sheepdog and a golden retriever. Obviously scared and confused, the sheepdog ran upstairs while Ng carried the retriever to ground level.
According to the Fire Services Department, eight fire engines and three ambulances were dispatched to the scene along with 50 firefighters and paramedics. About 70 residents were evacuated safely, but Ng’s sheepdog was found dead on the seventh floor.
Ng was bandaged at the scene and later taken to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai, where he is in critical condition. The golden retriever is also said to be injured and is under observation at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The incident is still under investigation, but reports say the fire department has so far found nothing suspicions.
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