5 rescued after fire breaks out in Hong Kong typhoon shelter

A speedboat in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay typhoon shelter caught fire on Sunday morning, with the blaze spreading to two nearby vessels.

Marine police and firefighters rescued three men and two women, aged 25 to 42, from a nearby unaffected vessel as Typhoon Wipha lashed Hong Kong with wind and rain.

All five were uninjured and did not require hospital treatment.

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Vessel catches fire as Typhoon Wipha hits Hong Kong

Vessel catches fire as Typhoon Wipha hits Hong Kong

Police said a call was received from a passer-by who spotted flames at 3.41am, about three hours after the Hong Kong Observatory issued the No 8 typhoon signal at 12.20am.

Bright orange flames could be seen in the typhoon shelter as thick plumes of dark smoke floated from the area.

A strong burning odour could also be detected in residential buildings on Caroline Hill Road, about 1km away.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.