Deadly Tai Po inferno marks HK's first No. 5 alarm blaze in 17 years
發佈日期: 2025-11-26 23:43
TVB News
The last time Hong Kong recorded a No. 5 alarm fire was 17 years ago, during the tragic blaze at the Cornwall Court in Mong Kok, which left four people dead.
The five-alarm Cornwall Court fire occurred on 10 August 2008 was suspected to have been caused by an air-conditioner short circuit. Four people were killed and more than 50 others injured.
Among the dead were firemen who became trapped on the rooftop and died from inhaling heavy smoke.
Another major No. 5 Alarm fire -- the worst in Hong Kong's recent history -- was the 1996 blaze in Yau Ma Tei which killed 41 people.
【EXTRA INFORMATION】
The Fire Services Department (FSD) has explained there are six fire alarm levels in total, and any fire upgraded to No. 3 Alarm or above requires additional resources.
A No. 1 or No. 2 Alarm is issued upon initial dispatch, with the difference depending on the nature of the premises.
A No. 2 Alarm typically involves locations with special risks, such as hospitals, railway stations or dangerous goods warehouses.
When firefighters, after initial assessment, find they cannot effectively put out the blaze or face complications such as thick smoke, rapidly spreading flames or multiple reports of people trapped, the officer-in-charge may upgrade the fire to No. 3 Alarm to deploy more resources.
When conditions deteriorate further, the fire is escalated to No. 4 or No. 5 Alarm.
Above the five-alarm level is a "Disaster Alert" classification, used for large-scale or multiple concurrent incidents requiring prolonged, full-force mobilisation of all available fire service resources.
