Hundreds are feared to still be trapped in an apartment block reportedly home to nearly 5,000 people.
At least 36 individuals have perished and hundreds are unaccounted for following a massive blaze that engulfed a high-rise apartment building in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Reuters has confirmed. The fire, which began in the mid-afternoon and swiftly swept through the 31-story towers, also left many people injured.
The Fire Services Department informed Reuters that the number of residents potentially remaining inside was not yet determined. Wang Fuk Court, a complex featuring approximately 2,000 flats in the Tai Po district, is home to about 4,800 people, as per AP, citing documented records.
More than 120 fire engines and hundreds of firefighters were dispatched to the location, but officials indicated that the response was hampered by falling debris and crumbling scaffolding that had been installed earlier for exterior repair operations.
Nine victims succumbed at the scene, while four others were declared deceased at hospitals, authorities told reporters. Approximately 700 residents have been relocated to temporary shelters.
The Fire Services Department reported that a firefighter was among the deceased, while another crew member was being treated for heat exhaustion.
The complex, which has been occupied for over 40 years, was undergoing external repairs when the fire broke out, with the buildings enveloped in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting. Officials stated the fire started on the external scaffolding of one block before moving inside and then extending to adjacent buildings, likely exacerbated by strong winds.