Tragedy struck Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday when a massive fire erupted in a high-rise housing estate, claiming at least 36 lives, including a firefighter, and leaving 79 people missing. Survivors described the harrowing experience of escaping smoke-filled apartments as flames rapidly engulfed several towers within the complex.
The fire is understood to have broken out at approximately 2:50 PM local time. The intense blaze quickly spread up the exterior of the buildings, feeding off extensive bamboo scaffolding and green safety netting used for renovations. The severity of the fire led to an immediate escalation to a No. 4 alarm, Hong Kong’s highest emergency response designation.
Footage from the scene vividly illustrated the scale of the disaster, with multiple buildings ablaze and thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky. Firefighters battled valiantly from aerial platforms, but their efforts were challenged by falling burning materials.
This densely populated residential area in the New Territories is home to over 4,800 residents spread across eight towers and nearly 2,000 flats. The proximity of the high-rise buildings heightened the risk of the fire spreading, causing widespread panic.
Search and rescue teams are actively engaged in floor-by-floor sweeps, looking for any individuals who may still be trapped. Efforts are also focused on tackling flare-ups along the scaffold-covered exteriors. Evacuated residents are being housed in temporary shelters.
Investigations into the precise cause of this devastating fire are ongoing, with no definitive explanation provided by officials yet.