‘Spider-Man’ escapes death in Hong Kong tower block climb after setting fire to high-rise flat
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 09 July, 2015, 1:34pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 09 July, 2015, 2:08pm
Clifford Lo [email protected]
The fire damaged the tower block at the Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po. Photo: SCMP Pictures
An unemployed 25-year-old man climbed “like Spider-Man” for nine floors down the drainpipe of a Hong Kong public housing tower block this morning when he exited from the window of his 22nd floor flat after allegedly setting it ablaze.
About 600 residents were evacuated from Shin Kwan House at the Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po when the fire broke out in the man’s flat at about 5.15am.
Seven fire engines and five ambulances were dispatched to the scene, with the deployment of more than 50 firefighters and paramedics to fight the blaze.
The man was spotted outside a 17th floor flat climbing down drainpipes when firemen arrived at 5.20am.
“Firefighters broke through the front door of a 13th floor flat and entered the unit to bring the man back inside the building,” a Fire Services Department spokesman said.
The man was handed over to police after he told firemen he set fire to his home, according to the spokesman.
“Initial investigation showed the man set alight flammable solvent in the living room in an attempt to commit suicide,” a police source said.
“But he changed his mind. He then climbed out of a window from the kitchen and scrambled nine floors down a drainpipe like Spider-Man before being brought back to the building.”
The man lived with his mother in the flat but was alone at the time of the incident.
Police are treating the case as arson and the man was arrested. Detectives from Tai Po police district are investigating.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze within 40 minutes of their arrival at the scene.
Three elderly residents – two men and one woman – complained of feeling unwell after inhaling smoke.
The suspect also complained of feeling unwell after inhaling smoke, according to police.
All the wounded were treated for smoke inhalation at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital.
The fire department said the flat was severely damaged by the blaze.
The flames and smoke also blackened the outer walls and windows of the four floors above.
