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At least four people have died and others remain trapped after a massive fire engulfed multiple high-rise towers of a residential complex in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district on Wednesday, the government and Fire Services Department said.
Firefighters continued to battle the blaze as dusk fell, with thick black smoke billowing from the 31-story towers, home to 2,000 residential apartments.
The Fire Service Department told Reuters it does not yet have a figure for the number of people who may still be inside.
People gathered on a nearby overhead walkway, watching in dismay as smoke billowed from the buildings, some of which were clad in bamboo scaffolding.
People gathered on a nearby overhead walkway, watching in dismay as smoke billowed from the buildings, some of which were clad in bamboo scaffolding.
Scores of fire engines and ambulances lined the road below the complex, according to Reuters witnesses.
The fire broke out in Wang Fuk Court, one of many high-rise housing complexes in Hong Kong, which is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Tai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is an established suburban district with a population of about 300,000.
It was upgraded to a No. 4 alarm, the second highest, at 3:34 p.m.
Wang Fuk Court is a housing complex made up of eight blocks, providing close to 2,000 residential units.
Several towers have bamboo scaffolding on their exterior.
Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction.
Hong Kong’s Transport Department said that due to the fire an entire section of the Tai Po road, one of Hong Kong’s two main highways, has been closed and buses are being diverted.
