The Fire Service Bureau (CB) announced in a statement yesterday that a renovation worker suffered second-degree burns in a fire.
According to the statement, the fire erupted in a flat of Nova Taipa Gardens (Block 26) on Rua de Bragança (布拉干薩街) in Taipa. A resident called the CB to tell them about smoke coming from the residential building.
After arriving at the scene, the firefighters were confronted with open flames in a unit on the 24th floor, where the fire had broken out
Firefighters deployed hoses and quickly extinguished the blaze, the statement said, adding that around 30 people at the scene self-evacuated.
The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) announced in a separate statement later yesterday that it is greatly concerned about the incident, adding that it immediately joined efforts with a social service organisation in Taipa to dispatch personnel to the scene and understand the needs of residents affected by the incident, adding that no residents requested temporary accommodation.
Meanwhile, the Fire Service Bureau said in a follow-up statement that at the scene firefighters found an injured male with second-degree burns on his face, both palms, left forearm and both ankles, adding that his condition was stable. He was rushed to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre for emergency treatment.
The Fire Service Bureau identified the injured as a 65-year-old local renovation worker.
The worker told firefighters that before the fire he had detected the odour of what appeared to come from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the unit where he was working. He promptly responded to the issue by opening the windows and checking the LPG canister.
Subsequently, while using a grinder to cut a wall, sparks resulted in a flash fire, the bureau quoted the renovation worker as saying. The bureau said that the incident was suspected to have been caused by a leak of flammable gas inside the unit.
Upon inspection by firefighters, the statement said that some furniture in a room of the unit was found to have been burnt, while the corridor was blackened by soot and all the windows in the unit were damaged.
A fire engine is stationed in front of Nova Taipa Gardens on Rua de Bragança (布拉干薩街) during yesterday morning’s fire-fighting operation in Taipa. – Photo courtesy of TDM
