The fire started in one of the buildings in the Tai Po area and quickly spread through bamboo scaffolding to neighboring high-rises, affecting a total of seven buildings.
The complex includes eight 31-story buildings, housing around two thousand apartments and more than 4,000 residents. These buildings, constructed in 1983, were undergoing renovation.
According to media reports, this fire has become the largest in Hong Kong in the last 17 years. More than 760 rescuers were involved in extinguishing it. Firefighters reported that they were unable to reach the rooftops of the buildings as temperatures at height reached critical levels.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. In March, authorities announced plans to stop using bamboo scaffolding due to its high fire risk. It was also reported that residents of the complex had complained for six months about workers smoking during renovation work.
The death toll has risen to 36, while 279 people are reported missing, and 29 injured individuals are in hospitals.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to all those affected and the families of the deceased in this tragic incident.
