Thirteen people, including a firefighter, have been killed, and at least 15 others are in critical condition following a massive fire engulfing a residential complex in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong. Flames also consumed bamboo scaffolding across seven blocks, leaving many residents trapped inside.
Thick, dark smoke rose high into the sky at the scene, Wang Fuk Court, on Wednesday, as the fire rapidly spread through seven of the complex’s eight blocks, according to the South China Morning Post.
Police reported people trapped in the building where the fire began, including a man and a woman who were unconscious and suffered burns.
Wang Fuk Court, located in Tai Po, is one of Hong Kong’s 18 districts. The residential complex consists of eight buildings and nearly 2,000 housing units, forming part of the government’s subsidized housing program.
According to the property website, the complex has been inhabited since 1983.
