“`html
A devastating fire has engulfed several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, resulting in at least 36 fatalities. Reports indicate that over 270 individuals are missing, and thousands of residents have been evacuated to shelters.
Images from the scene depict multiple structures ablaze, with thick plumes of smoke dominating the skyline of the Chinese territory.
Despite nightfall, the fire continues to burn hours after its initial report, prompting the deployment of more than 760 firefighters to the area.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but here’s what is known at this time.
The fire originated at Wang Fuk Court, a large residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, at 14:51 local time on Wednesday (06:51 GMT).
Wang Fuk Court comprises eight tower blocks, each 31 stories in height. According to Tai Po district councillor Mui Siu-fung, speaking to BBC Chinese, seven of these buildings have been affected by the fire.
The complex houses approximately 4,600 residents in 1,984 apartments, as per the 2021 government census.
Constructed in 1983, the tower blocks were undergoing renovation, with the exterior covered in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting. Footage indicates that the fire spread rapidly through the bamboo structure.
Reports from residents in some local media outlets suggest that fire alarms did not activate during the incident.
Tai Po is a residential area situated in the northern part of Hong Kong, in proximity to the city of Shenzhen on the Chinese mainland.
The Hong Kong Fire Department has classified the blaze as a level five alarm, the highest severity rating.
Within 40 minutes of the initial report, the incident was designated a level four alarm. However, by 18:22, approximately three and a half hours later, the severity level was escalated again.
It has been 17 years since Hong Kong last experienced a level five fire.
Local media sources reported hearing explosions within the building, and challenges in reaching the upper levels with fire hoses.
The intense heat is impeding firefighters’ attempts to enter the buildings for rescue operations, according to Deputy Director of Fire Services Derek Armstrong Chan.
“Debris and scaffolding from the affected building are falling, creating additional hazards for our front-line personnel,” he stated.
He added that it was uncertain when the fire would be completely extinguished, with residents expressing concerns that it would continue to burn throughout the night.
In addition to 767 firefighters, 128 fire engines, 57 ambulances, and approximately 400 police officers have been deployed to the scene.
Early Thursday morning, the death toll significantly increased from 13 to 36 individuals.
Shortly after midnight, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed that 279 people were missing.
Local media reported that police officers are assisting residents in locating family members using loudspeakers.
The number of injured individuals was revised down to 15 at Wednesday night’s news conference, after initially being reported as 28.
Among the deceased is firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, a nine-year veteran of the Sha Tin Fire Station.
The Fire Service reports losing contact with Ho at 15:30, and discovering him collapsed approximately half an hour later. He was transported to a hospital but pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of this dedicated and courageous firefighter,” stated Andy Yeung, Director of the Fire Service.
The Hong Kong Fire Service has confirmed that at least one other firefighter is hospitalized.
Government officials have established multiple emergency shelters to accommodate evacuated residents. According to the South China Morning Post, one of these shelters, located at Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre, has reached capacity, and residents are being redirected to alternative locations.
Another shelter, the Kwong Fuk Community Hall, situated across the road from the housing estate, was deemed unsafe, and evacuees were relocated to a more distant facility.
BBC Chinese reporter Gemini Cheng observed elderly residents, some requiring walking aids or wheelchairs, arriving at the shelters. Coaches will later transport them to community halls that will remain open overnight to provide accommodation for those displaced by the fire.
The Education Bureau has announced the closure of six schools in Tai Po on Thursday, listing the affected schools on its website.
Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung stated that an emergency monitoring and support center has been activated to manage the consequences of the fire.
The Hong Kong Police have established a public hotline, +852 1878 999, for inquiries regarding casualties.
The tower blocks at Wang Fuk Court are currently enveloped in bamboo scaffolding and green construction netting, extending to the rooftops, due to ongoing renovations.
Bamboo scaffolding has been a traditional construction method in Hong Kong for centuries, owing to its rapid growth, lightweight nature, and strength. While considered an iconic aspect of the city’s urban environment, Hong Kong stands as one of the last remaining global cities employing this technique in modern construction.
Local media reports from March indicate that the government’s Development Bureau has been working to phase out the use of bamboo due to safety concerns. This initiative, promoting the adoption of metal alternatives, follows a series of scaffolding-related fatalities in Hong Kong.
According to Bureau spokesperson Terence Lam, bamboo scaffolds possess “intrinsic weaknesses such as variation in mechanical properties, deterioration over time and high combustibility, etc, giving rise to safety concerns.”
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities have noted that it appears to have spread rapidly, and to neighboring structures, via the bamboo scaffolding.
Additional reporting by Jack Lau, BBC Global China Unit and Gemini Cheng, BBC Chinese in Hong Kong.
Efforts to control the blaze are continuing as locals wait for news of missing loved ones.
Video footage shows large plumes of smoke billowing up into the sky, as firefighters on cranes try and put out the blaze.
The two leaders discussed trade, Ukraine and Taiwan in their first phone call since meeting in South Korea last month.
Authorities uncovered one of the country’s biggest scam centres in her small town of Bamban.
The move comes after Beijing blocked exports of the firm’s chips in response to the Hague intervening into Chinese-owned chipmaker.
“`