The fire engulfed the stalls at Yat King House and destroyed a lot of inventories.

A breathing apparatus team was despatched after several reports were made.

The fire was put out in 30 minutes without a need to evacuate nearby residents.

Canvas canopies were melted down.

Many shelves and potted plants outside a flower shop were burned, and nearly all were damaged inside.

The shop was believed to be where the fire started. The criminal investigation team at Kwai Tsing has taken over the case.

Cheng, the owner of a tofu stall, said that he received a call from a friend around 6.15 informing him of the fire and telling him to come.

When he arrived around 6.40 am, part of his storefront had been burned down, causing tens of thousands of dollars in losses.

"I've been doing business here for over 30 years and have never encountered a fire or been in contact with gangsters," he said.

He put it down to a random attack by someone with mental health issues.

After the wet market's fire alarm went off, a garbage dump at nearby Yuet Lai House also caught fire.

Chiu, whose paper offerings stall was also damaged, said she was lucky as only toys she bought for her grandson had been destroyed and other goods were not.

Asked if she is worried about arson in the area, Chiu said: "I am not worried about it. I can't do anything if someone really want to start a fire here."