At least four dead as fire engulfs Hong Kong tower blocks

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

At least three more are injured, two of whom are in a critical condition, a government statement said.

According to a former district councillor, 13 people are also still trapped in the blaze, local media reports.

Footage shows flames and thick clouds of grey smoke billowing from the towers of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex on Wednesday afternoon.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but the flames are believed to have spread quickly through bamboo scaffolding that covered the outside of the tower blocks.

The fire department has told the BBC that one of the confirmed deaths was a firefighter.

The blaze broke out at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT), the government statement said, and was quickly upgraded to a level four alarm within 40 minutes. It was raised again, to the highest level five, at 18:22.

As night fell, pictures showed that the fire was still burning, with red flames covering at least three tower blocks.

The Hong Kong government said that nine people were taken to two hospitals for treatment.

“Four persons were certified dead, three persons are in critical condition, one person is in serious condition and one person is in stable condition”, the statement said.

Former district councillor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho told local newspaper the South Morning China Post, that there were 13 people still trapped, including eight elderly residents and two babies.

The BBC has not independently verified these numbers.

Kwan-ho added that 14 pet cats were also trapped in the blaze.

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

In an update, it added that it had also set up a help desk at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and a hotline for assistance and public enquiries.

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 currently undergoing renovation, hence the bamboo scaffolding, which is commonly used in the construction industry, especially in Asia, because it is lightweight and strong.

Hong Kong is famous for its use of the scaffolding, which is erected by tying bamboo poles together with nylon fasteners. However according to media reports in Hong Kong in 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.

In 2008, four people died after Cornwall Court – in the commercial district of Mong Kok – caught on fire. The building was built in 1962.