The fire was first reported at around 10.48pm last night as residents nearby found black smoke coming out of the flat.

Firefighters soon arrived at the scene and put out the fire. They also rescued three cats from the flat but didn't find the owner.

After preliminary investigations, firefighters suspected that the fire started from burned food and the cause of fire was not suspicious.

It was understood that the three kittens had some of their fur charred but they were all in a good condition. They were then sent to staffers of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Police listed the case an animal abuse after investigations as officers suspected the three kittens were ill-treated.

The case is now handled by Sham Shui Po district investigation team and police are now searching for the female tenant of the partition flat.