Fire at Hong Kong skyscraper complex kills at least 13, leaves others trapped inside

At least 13 people have died in a fire that engulfed a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong, authorities said Wednesday, with others reportedly still trapped inside.

Fire Department Director Andy Yeung said a firefighter was among the dead. In a news release, Yeung said the 37-year-old had been a firefighter for nine years. “All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade,” he added.

Nine people were pronounced dead at the scene and four others were later confirmed dead and sent to hospital, authorities told reporters. At least 15 more people were injured and about 700 have been evacuated to temporary shelters.

The raging fire caused a plume of flames and thick smoke to spread over bamboo scaffolding that had been set up around the exterior of the complex in the city’s Tai Po district. Live video from the scene showed firefighters dumping water on the raging flames from atop ladder trucks as the twilight sky darkened, with smoke billowing from windows and red-hot embers falling to the ground.

It was not immediately known what caused the fire. Officials said the fire started on the external scaffolding of one of the buildings and then spread to the interior of the building and also to nearby blocks, likely aided by wind conditions.

The fire was first reported in mid-afternoon and has since been upgraded to alarm level 5, the highest level of severity, the Fire Department said.

Police have said they have received multiple reports of people trapped in the affected buildings. Records show the housing complex consisted of eight blocks with nearly 2,000 apartments that housed about 4,800 people.

Tai Po District Council member Lo Hiu-fung told local television station TVB early Wednesday that most of the residents trapped in the fire were believed to be elderly people.

“Nearby residents, please stay indoors, close doors and windows, stay calm and avoid going to fire-affected areas,” the Hong Kong Fire Department wrote on Facebook.

Tai Po is a suburban area in the northern part of Hong Kong and near the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.