According to the latest data, of the 13 deceased, nine were found dead at the scene, and another 15 were injured. More than 700 firefighters and dozens of vehicles are involved in fighting the fire.
Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, one of those who died while extinguishing the fire, was described by officials as a "dedicated and valiant" person. In turn, the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, expressed condolences regarding the tragedy, according to information from the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Political parties have suspended their campaigns to express support for the victims, and several local schools announced closures on Thursday.
- District council member Mui Siu-fung told BBC Chinese that thousands of people have been evacuated to special shelters.
- It is currently unclear how many people may still be trapped inside the building and what exactly caused the fire.
The residential complex "Wang Fuk Court" is one of many high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, known for its high population density.
66-year-old Harry Chung, who has lived in one of the blocks for over 40 years, described hearing a "very loud noise" around 2:45 PM local time (06:45 GMT) and seeing the fire in the neighboring building.
“I immediately started gathering my things,” he told Reuters in an interview. “I don’t even know how I feel right now. The main thing is where I will sleep tonight because I probably won’t be able to return home.”
Bamboo Scaffolding
Neighbors gathered on a nearby elevated gallery, anxiously watching the smoke billowing from the buildings.
Some structures were surrounded by bamboo scaffolding, and locals reported on social media that repairs had been ongoing for a year.
Eyewitnesses told Reuters that the framework of the scaffolding was falling to the ground as firefighters battled the blaze, while dozens of ambulances and fire trucks were on the scene.
To combat the fire, 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances were dispatched to the site.
Authorities opened a hotline for victims and organized two temporary shelters in nearby community centers. Sections near the highway were also closed due to firefighting efforts.
“Residents of nearby areas are advised to stay indoors, close doors and windows, and remain calm,” the fire service reported. “The public is also advised not to visit the area affected by the fire.”
Tai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is a densely populated suburb with a population of about 300,000. The residential complex consists of eight blocks with nearly 2,000 apartments, housing around 4,800 residents.
According to Tai Po district council member Mui Siu-fung, all eight blocks of "Wang Fuk Court" are undergoing major renovations. Seven of them were affected by the fire, and the external scaffolding sustained significant damage.
“In the block where the fire started, flames were visible through the windows,” she says. One block did not catch fire, but there was initially a small flame that firefighters were able to extinguish quickly from below.
At this time, firefighters cannot safely enter the buildings to conduct rescue operations.
Mui noted that around 3:00 PM local time (07:00 GMT), residents began evacuating: “I think about 95% of the residents have already been evacuated, and three nearby blocks have been cleared.”
At one of the evacuation points, located in the Kwong Fuk shopping center, there were about a thousand people.
The Ministry of the Interior opened several community centers as temporary shelters, and some schools also prepared to accommodate residents.
