100 Hongkongers evacuated after fire breaks out during ceremony for good luck

Around 100 residents of a public housing estate in Hong Kong were evacuated from their homes on Friday morning, after an owner’s Chinese worship ceremony for peace and protection sparked a fire in a flat.

Police said they suspected the fire at Heng On Estate in Ma On Shan was caused by a 62-year-old female resident’s burning of joss papers for the traditional ritual. A preliminary investigation also showed no foul play was involved.

The spokesman said the ceremony concerned was the ritual of “worshipping the four corners”, which involves the burning of joss papers and sticks.

This ceremony is commonly performed when one moves into a new home to appease the four spirits of the sky, the earth, humanity and ghosts.

“The fire was caused when [the resident] left the flat before the joss papers were fully burnt,” a force spokesman said.

Photographs of the flat showed the unit was charred inside out.