What we know about Hong Kong apartment fires

A devastating fire has destroyed several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, killing at least 36 people. More than 270 people are reported missing and thousands of residents have been placed in evacuation shelters.

Images showed several buildings on fire and thick smoke billowing into the air, dominating the Chinese territory’s skyline.

As night fell, the fire was still burning hours after it was first reported, with more than 760 firefighters deployed to the scene.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but so far this is what we know.

At 14:51 local time on Wednesday (06:51 GMT), a fire broke out in Wang Fook Court, a large residential complex in Tai Po District, Hong Kong.

Hongfu Pavilion consists of eight towers, each of which is thirty-one stories high. Tai Po District Councilor Mei Siu-feng told BBC Chinese that the fire had affected seven people.

According to the 2021 government census, they provide 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents.

Built in 1983, the tower is undergoing renovation and the exterior of the building is covered with bamboo scaffolding and construction mesh. Video shows the fire spreading rapidly through the bamboo.

Some local media reported that residents said the fire alarm did not go off.

Tai Po is a residential area in northern Hong Kong, close to the city of Shenzhen in mainland China.

Hong Kong’s fire department has classified the fire as a level five alarm – the most serious level.

Within 40 minutes of the first report, the level was declared Level 4, but by 18:22 approximately three and a half hours later, the level was raised again.

It has been 17 years since Hong Kong last experienced a five-alarm fire.

Local media reported that explosions were heard inside the building and fire hoses were unable to easily reach the upper floors.

Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy chief of the fire department, told media that firefighters were unable to enter the building for rescue operations due to the intense heat.

“Debris and scaffolding from the affected buildings are collapsing, creating an additional risk for our frontline staff,” he said.

He added that it was difficult to know when the fire would be completely extinguished and residents feared it would burn overnight.

In addition to the 767 firefighters, 128 fire engines, 57 ambulances and approximately 400 police officers were deployed.

The death toll rose sharply from 13 to 36 early Thursday morning.

Just after midnight, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed that 279 people were missing.

Police have been using loudspeakers to help residents search for their families, local media reported.

At a news conference Wednesday night, the number of injured was revised down to 15 from an initial estimate of 28.

Among the dead was a 37-year-old firefighter, Ho Wai-ho, who had worked at the Sha Tin Fire Station for nine years.

The fire department said it lost contact with him at 15:30 and found him lying on the ground about half an hour later. He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of this dedicated and heroic firefighter,” Fire Department Chief Andy Yang said.

The Hong Kong Fire Department said at least one firefighter was receiving treatment in hospital.

Multiple emergency shelters have been set up The government said it was to accommodate evacuated residents. According to the South China Morning Post, one of the shelters at the Dong Cheong Street Stadium is full and residents are being directed to other shelters.

The other is the Kwong Fuk Community Hall located across the road from the housing estate, which is considered unsafe. Evacuees were moved to another shelter further away.

BBC Chinese reporter Gemini Cheng saw elderly residents arriving at some shelters, some with canes or wheelchairs. Coaches will then move them to the community hall, which will be open overnight to accommodate those displaced by the fires.

The Education Bureau announced that six schools in Tai Po will continue to be closed on Thursday. List affected schools on their website.

Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said in a statement that the Emergency Monitoring and Support Center was operating to deal with the impact of the fire.

Hong Kong police have set up a hotline for the public to inquire about casualties. The phone number is +852 1878 999.

The tower at Wang Fook Court is undergoing renovation work, and is covered right up to the roof with bamboo scaffolding and green building netting.

This type of scaffolding has been used in Hong Kong for centuries because bamboo grows quickly, is lightweight and is very strong. Many consider it an iconic part of Hong Kong’s cityscape, but Hong Kong is one of the only cities in the world to use it in modern architecture.

Local media reported in March that the government development agency had been trying to phase out the use of bamboo due to safety concerns. There has been a push to use metal instead of bamboo after a series of scaffolding-related deaths in Hong Kong.

Authority spokesman Terence Lam said bamboo scaffolding has “inherent weaknesses such as changes in mechanical properties, degradation over time and high flammability, which raise safety concerns”.

The cause of the fire was unclear, but authorities noted that the fire appeared to have spread quickly through the bamboo scaffolding and into neighboring buildings.

Additional reporting was by Jack Lau of BBC Global China and Gemini Cheng of BBC Hong Kong.