China News Service, Hong Kong, July 12 (Reporter Wang Jiacheng) In the early morning of the 12th, a fire broke out in a sub-district in Tai Po, Hong Kong. A woman and two girls died after being sent to the hospital; another man was rescued in a semi-coma.

The police found that the cause of the fire was suspicious and arrested the man on suspicion of arson and murder.

　　When the police met with reporters that day, the three deceased included a 42-year-old local woman and two girls aged 8 and 13; the other 62-year-old man is currently being treated in the hospital and detained by the police for investigation.

　　At about 1:50 in the morning, the police received a report from the public that there was a dispute in a tenement house located in Tai Po Rural Committee Square, and a voice was heard.

Later, at 2:02, another citizen reported that black smoke had erupted from the unit. Fire Services Department and police officers rushed to the scene to put out the fire.

Rescuers found the man in the stairwell of the tenement building. He was in a semi-comatose state at the time; the woman and two girls were unconscious when they were rescued from the burning unit, and they both suffered stab wounds.

　　Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested man was in a relationship with the adult woman, and the two girls were the biological daughters of the deceased woman.

At the time of the incident, it is believed that the two adults had a dispute due to relationship issues. The arrested person was suspected of assaulting the deceased woman with a sharp weapon, and the two girls were estimated to have suffered stab wounds for preventing the attack.

　　The police initially found more than 40 stab wounds on the deceased woman. The two girls had 5 stab wounds and 3 stab wounds respectively.

The police believe that someone deliberately set fire to the scene after the attack.

　　The police said that the case has been handed over to the Tai Po Police District for follow-up, and an autopsy will be arranged later to confirm the cause of death of the three deceased.

(Finish)