A massive fire swept through a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district on Wednesday, killing at least four people, injuring several others and leaving an unknown number of residents trapped inside, authorities said.
The blaze broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a government-subsidized home ownership estate of multiple 31-story residential towers with about 2,000 apartments. Firefighters received the first emergency calls shortly before 3 p.m. and later upgraded the incident to the highest alarm level as flames spread rapidly across the complex.
By dusk, thick black smoke billowed from the towers and bright orange flames lit up the skyline. The fire appeared to race along bamboo scaffolding that had been erected around parts of the buildings, which were reportedly under renovation. Witnesses said sections of scaffolding collapsed as crews fought the fire from ladder trucks and rooftops.
Police said they received multiple reports of people trapped in the affected buildings. One 71-year-old resident, identified only by his surname Wong, wept as he told local media his wife was still inside one of the towers.
The government said three people were hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns and another was in serious condition. Several other residents, along with some fire services personnel, were treated for injuries. Local media reported that a firefighter may be among the dead, but officials have not confirmed the identities of those killed.
The fire prompted major traffic disruptions. Hong Kong’s Transport Department said a section of Tai Po Road, one of the city’s main highways, was closed, with bus routes diverted as emergency vehicles crowded the area.
Tai Po is a suburban district in the New Territories near the border with Shenzhen and has a population of about 300,000. Wang Fuk Court has been occupied since 1983 and is typical of the dense high-rise housing that dominates Hong Kong’s skyline.
The incident is likely to renew scrutiny of bamboo scaffolding, a traditional construction method still common in Hong Kong. The city is one of the last places where bamboo is widely used on large-scale building projects. Citing safety concerns, the government began phasing bamboo out of public works earlier this year, requiring that half of public construction sites switch to metal scaffolding.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Rescue teams continued searching the buildings late Wednesday as officials arranged temporary support for displaced residents.