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The Wang Fuk Court docket housing advanced, the place the fireplace began, is dwelling to 2,000 residential residences, comprising eight blocks
HONG KONG – A minimum of 13 folks died and an unknown quantity have been trapped on Wednesday, November 26, after a large hearth engulfed a number of high-rise towers of a residential advanced in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district, the federal government stated.
Firefighters battled the blaze into the night time, with thick black smoke billowing from the 31-story towers and orange flames lighting up the night time sky.
The Wang Fuk Court docket housing advanced, the place the fireplace began, is dwelling to 2,000 residential residences, comprising eight blocks. The Fireplace Providers Division advised Reuters it doesn’t but have a determine for the quantity of people that should be contained in the buildings.
Firefighter among the many lifeless
One resident surnamed Wong, 71, broke down in tears and sobbed, saying his spouse was trapped inside one of many buildings.
A firefighter surnamed Ho was among the many 13 killed, the director of Fireplace Providers stated, and greater than ten folks have been injured.
Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived at Block Two in one of many complexes for greater than 40 years, stated he heard “a really loud noise at round 2:45 pm” (0645 GMT) and noticed a fireplace erupt in a close-by block.
“I instantly went again to pack up my issues,” he stated.
“I don’t even know the way I really feel proper now. I’m simply occupied with the place I’m going to sleep tonight as a result of I in all probability gained’t be capable of return dwelling.”
Folks gathered on a close-by overhead walkway, watching in dismay and taking photos as smoke billowed from the buildings, a few of which have been clad in bamboo scaffolding, with social media posts from residents saying the items had been underneath renovation for round a 12 months.
Frames of scaffolding have been seen tumbling to the bottom as firefighters battled the blaze, whereas scores of fireplace engines and ambulances lined the highway beneath the event, in response to Reuters witnesses.
Advanced in busy suburban district
Wang Fuk Court docket is one in every of many high-rise housing complexes in Hong Kong, which is among the most densely populated areas on the planet. Tai Po, situated close to the border with mainland China, is a longtime suburban district with a inhabitants of about 300,000.
Proudly owning a house is a distant dream for a lot of in Hong Kong, one of many world’s most costly housing markets and the place residential rents are hovering round document highs.
The advanced is underneath the federal government’s sponsored dwelling possession scheme. It has been occupied since 1983, in response to property company web sites.
The hearth division stated it obtained reviews at 2:51 pm {that a} hearth had damaged out in Wang Fuk Court docket. By 6:22 pm it had been upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, town’s highest.
Robust winds fanned the flames inflicting the blaze to unfold to seven of the advanced’s eight blocks.
Hong Kong is among the final locations on the planet the place bamboo remains to be extensively used for scaffolding in building.
The federal government moved to start out phasing out town’s use of its bamboo scaffolding in March, citing security. It introduced that fifty% of public building works can be required to make use of metallic frames as an alternative.
Hong Kong’s Transport Division stated that because of the hearth, a whole part of the Tai Po highway, one in every of Hong Kong’s two principal highways, has been closed and buses are being diverted.
5 folks died after a fireplace broke out in a densely populated residential constructing in Hong Kong’s bustling Kowloon district in April final 12 months.
Y.Y. Chan, a 68-year-old resident ready exterior the event, stated despite the fact that the fireplace in his block had been extinguished, “seeing the fires throughout nonetheless makes you are feeling horrible.”
“It’s not like we will actually transfer wherever…we simply must face actuality.” – Rappler.com
