A family originally hailing from Foshan has perished in a Kennedy Town apartment fire, according to South China Morning Post.
The fire began sometime before 1.30am Saturday and claimed the lives of the young family and their neighbor. The father, 26-year-old Huang Zhiqiang, reportedly died after jumping from the 13th floor in an effort to escape the flames. His wife, 26-year-old Wu Qianxin, and their 3-year-old daughter, Huang Yilin, both died in the apartment.
Blame for the fire and resulting loss of life appears to lie with a 63-year-old neighbor, named Hui Waichung, who lived in the flat across the hall. Hui’s body was charred when discovered and traces of accelerants were present on the doors to both his and Huang’s family’s apartment, according to Coconuts Hong Kong, suggesting the fire was started intentionally. Investigators are viewing the case as an arson/murder and believe Hui is responsible for the tragedy.
Reports suggest Hui and his neighbors had a rocky relationship, with a number of noise complaints and arguments being reported to police since he moved into the home in August 2013. He also suffered from undisclosed mental issues and had been assigned a social worker.
Wu and her daughter had only been living in the city for a week before their deaths, having just moved from Foshan to join Huang and his parents in Hong Kong.
[Images via Apple Daily, Coconuts HK]
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