At least 13 dead as fire engulfs Hong Kong tower blocks

At least 13 people have been killed and 15 others injured in a huge fire that has engulfed multiple high-rise buildings in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district.

The blaze broke out at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) and was upgraded to a level four alarm within 40 minutes. It was raised again, to the highest level, five, at 18:22.

More than 700 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze, with footage showing flames and thick clouds of grey smoke billowing from the towers.

The cause is unknown, but the flames are believed to have spread quickly through bamboo scaffolding, used for renovations, which covered the outside of the tower blocks.

Nine people died at the scene, while a further four died later in hospital, fire service officials confirmed on Wednesday evening.

Among those killed was firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37. He was found collapsed at the scene about half an hour after contact with him was lost and was then taken to hospital.

“The temperature inside the buildings concerned are very high, so it’s quite difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs to conduct firefighting and rescue operation,” said Derek Armstrong Chan, the deputy director of fire services.

He added that it was difficult to know when the fire would be extinguished.

Tai Po District Councillor Mui Siu-fung told BBC Chinese that firefighters had been unable to enter the buildings safely to carry out search and rescue operations.

Wang Fuk Court is a housing complex made up of eight tower blocks that provide 1,984 apartments for some 4,000 residents.

It is not clear how many people were in the apartments at the time of the fire and if others are still trapped in the building, but it is understood that the majority have been evacuated.

Police have also evacuated nearby buildings, while the government has opened several temporary shelters, including at the Kwong Fuk Community Hall and the Tung Cheong Street Leisure Building.

There is a large evacuation zone around the fire, roads are closed and more than 30 bus routes have been diverted, Hong Kong’s Transport Department says.

Mui Siu-fung said that Wang Fuk Court comprises eight blocks – which were all undergoing renovations. Seven of these blocks were affected by the fire, the external bamboo scaffolding severely damaged.

The use of bamboo scaffolding is common in Hong Kong, which is erected by tying bamboo poles together with nylon fasteners.

According to local media reports from March, the government’s development bureau has been trying to phase out the use of bamboo scaffolding due to safety concerns.

The last time Hong Kong faced a level 5 fire was 17 years ago, when four people died after Cornwall Court – in the commercial district of Mong Kok – caught on fire. The building was erected in 1962.