Firefighters battling blaze as three yachts catch fire in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour

• Emergency personnel were called in soon after 2.30pm when a boat burst into flames in Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter off Hoi Bun Road
• A government spokesman said three boats caught fire as of 3pm

Firefighters were battling a blaze in which three yachts caught fire in Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Emergency personnel, including firefighters and paramedics, were called in soon after 2.30pm when a boat burst into flames in Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter off Hoi Bun Road, according to police.

A police spokesman said they received several phone calls saying the yachts had caught fire and dense smoke had been billowing out of them.

As of 4pm, three yachts had caught fire and the firefighting operation was still going on, a government spokesman said.

The three yachts were anchored alongside each other, about 50 metres from the shore.

Responding to the "second-alarm" fire, three fireboats, 13 fire engines and two ambulances were deployed. Fires in the city are rated on a scale of one to five according to seriousness.

A fire department spokeswoman said as of 4pm, three jets and four roof monitors from the fireboats were being used to douse the flames.

She said no casualties were reported so far.

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