A 72-year-old man died after suffering serious burns all over his body in a blaze at his home in a low-rise residential building on Avenida do Almirante Lacerda on Saturday morning, while his 27-year-old son sustained burns on his right foot, according to Fire Services Bureau (CB) and Public Security Police (PSP) reports.
The Fire Services Bureau said that a short circuit in a household appliance was the probable cause of the violent fire.
Firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene after the Fire Services Bureau was alerted at around 7 a.m. on Saturday about the fire, which occurred in a flat on the fourth floor of Wai Oi Building.
It took firefighters about half an hour to extinguish the blaze which engulfed the flat in thick smoke.
After firefighters brought the fire under control, they rescued the two men from their flat. According to a Fire Services Bureau statement, the elderly man sustained serious burns all over his body. He was not breathing and had no signs of a heartbeat, while his son sustained burns on his right foot and was affected by smoke inhalation.
Both were rushed to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre for emergency treatment.
A Public Security Police statement said that the elderly man died of his injuries on Saturday afternoon after emergency treatment to save his life had failed, while his son was in a serious condition.
There were no updates about the young man’s condition as of last night.
The flat was completely gutted by the blaze.
According to the Fire Services Bureau statement, eight people living on the same floor and the fifth floor were evacuated by fire fighters, while 28 others self-evacuated. The government has provided temporary housing to evacuees in need.
The Fire Services Bureau also said that a cat was rescued from the burning flat. The cat has meanwhile been handed to the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM).
The bureau deployed nine fire engines and ambulances with 35 firefighters and paramedics to the scene for the operation.
Fire-related deaths are rare in Macau.
Another home fire, no injuries
Meanwhile, a flat on the ground floor of an old residential building located at the junction of Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida and Avenida de Horta e Costa caught fire last night, which did not cause any injuries. However, a woman living on the first floor was taken to hospital after she told paramedics that she was suffering heart palpitations, the Fire Services Bureau said last night.
The fire occurred in Tak Kuan Building at around 7 p.m. yesterday.
According to the bureau, the fire had been extinguished by the residents of the building before firefighters arrived at the scene. They continued to hose down the flat with the aim of lowering the temperature.
About 40 residents self-evacuated during the fire. The bureau said that a malfunction of an electrical appliance was the probable cause of the fire.
Firefighters battling a blaze in a flat in Wai Oi Building on Avenida do Almirante Lacerda on Saturday morning. – Photo courtesy of TDM
