At least four people have been killed in a huge fire that has engulfed multiple high-rise buildings in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. At least three more are injured, two of whom are in critical condition, according to a government statement. There are fears that some people may still be trapped in the buildings, local media reports.
Footage shows flames and thick clouds of grey smoke billowing from the towers of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex on Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the flames are believed to have spread quickly through bamboo scaffolding that covered the exterior of the tower blocks.
The fire department has confirmed that one of the individuals who lost their life was a firefighter. The blaze broke out at 14:51 local time (06:50 GMT) and was quickly upgraded to a level four alarm within 40 minutes, later escalating to the highest level five at 18:22.
As night fell, pictures showed that the fire was still raging, with red flames lighting up at least three tower blocks. The Hong Kong government reported that nine people were transported to two hospitals for treatment, with casualties reported as: four deceased, three in critical condition, one serious, and one stable.
Wang Fuk Court is a housing complex made up of eight tower blocks providing nearly 2,000 apartments for around 4,000 residents. The complex is currently under renovation, utilizing bamboo scaffolding, which is an inexpensive yet commonly used construction method in the region. However, reports indicate that the Hong Kong government has been attempting to phase out the material due to safety concerns.
Footage shows flames and thick clouds of grey smoke billowing from the towers of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex on Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the flames are believed to have spread quickly through bamboo scaffolding that covered the exterior of the tower blocks.
The fire department has confirmed that one of the individuals who lost their life was a firefighter. The blaze broke out at 14:51 local time (06:50 GMT) and was quickly upgraded to a level four alarm within 40 minutes, later escalating to the highest level five at 18:22.
As night fell, pictures showed that the fire was still raging, with red flames lighting up at least three tower blocks. The Hong Kong government reported that nine people were transported to two hospitals for treatment, with casualties reported as: four deceased, three in critical condition, one serious, and one stable.
Wang Fuk Court is a housing complex made up of eight tower blocks providing nearly 2,000 apartments for around 4,000 residents. The complex is currently under renovation, utilizing bamboo scaffolding, which is an inexpensive yet commonly used construction method in the region. However, reports indicate that the Hong Kong government has been attempting to phase out the material due to safety concerns.
