Thirty Six People Killed In Fire Engulfing Hong Kong High-Rise Residential Buildings

Tai Po: A fire spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, killing 36 people and leaving others still trapped, the city’s fire services said Wednesday. Nine people were declared dead at the scene and four others who were sent to the hospital were later confirmed dead, authorities told reporters. At least 36 others were injured. About 700 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters.

The raging fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it spread quickly on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had been set up around the exterior of the housing complex in Tai Po district, in the New Territories. Records show the housing complex consisted of eight blocks with almost 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 people. Video from the scene showed multiple buildings close to each other ablaze, with bright flames and smoke shooting out of many of the apartments’ windows as night fell. Firefighters were aiming water at the intense flames from high up on ladder trucks.

The blaze started mid afternoon and after nightfall authorities upgraded it to a level 5 alarm, the highest level of severity, the Fire Services Department said. The fire was still raging late into the night.

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