We’ve moved to cover the latest news on the Hong Kong fires in a live blog.
At least 36 people have been killed and 279 missing after a massive fire swept through a complex of residential high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, city leader John Lee said on Thursday.
Lee said at a press briefing that 29 people were still hospitalized, seven of whom were in critical condition.
Since Wednesday afternoon, teams of firefighters have been attempting to extinguish the blaze at Wang Phuc Court, a residential complex made up of eight blocks in the Tai Po district in the city’s northeast. The fire was still burning early on Thursday.
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The fire department said it received a report of a fire in a residential complex at 2:51 pm (0651 GMT) on Wednesday. At 3:34 pm it was upgraded to the number 4 alarm and as night fell, it was declared a five-alarm fire, the highest level.
Fire personnel deployed 128 fire engines and 57 ambulances at the scene.
“Debris and scaffolding from the affected buildings are falling,” said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the fire service.
“The temperature inside the respective buildings is very high. It is difficult for us to enter the building and go up to conduct fire fighting and rescue operations.”
Some residents are reported trapped
Earlier, local media had reported that an unknown number of people were trapped in the 31-storey towers – which house about 2,000 residential apartments.
Lo Hiu-fung, a member of Taipo District Council, told local broadcaster TVB that most of the residents trapped in the fire were elderly people.
Bamboo scaffolding and construction netting has been installed on the exterior of many of the towers currently burning.
TVB reported that large-scale renovation work was underway at the complex.
Smoke and flames are still coming out from the building complex
Live footage from Reuters news agency showed large plumes of smoke billowing from several buildings and as darkness fell, fires could be seen burning on several floors and apartments in the complex.
“Nearby residents are advised to stay indoors, close their doors and windows and remain calm,” the fire service department said.
Parts of the nearby highway have been closed due to the ongoing fire fighting operation.
Tai Po is a suburban area located in the northern part of Hong Kong, near the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Edited by Shawn Sinico