What we're covering
• At least 36 people have been killed after a fire spread across multiple high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, according to Hong Kong’s chief executive. Seven of the eight buildings in the complex, home to a large population of elderly residents, are still ablaze.
• Firefighters are still unable to reach some residents trapped on higher floors, but have vowed to keep trying. Officials said 279 people are “uncontactable.” Meanwhile, 29 people remain hospitalized, with seven in critical condition, officials said.
• The fire, which tore through bamboo scaffolding ubiquitous in the city, appears to be the most deadly blaze in Hong Kong in nearly three decades. Our reporters are on the scene and we’ll bring you the latest as we get it.
What may have exacerbated the blaze?
The exact cause that led the fire to spread so quickly will be the subject of a probe to be carried out by a Hong Kong Police task force, but firefighters have already warned of a peculiarity.
Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said that during the rescue, his crew had spotted some polystyrene boards blocking windows of multiple apartments.
“These polystyrene boards are extremely inflammable and the fire spread very rapidly,” he said.
“Their presence was unusual so we have referred the incident to the police for further enquiries,” Yeung added.
Meanwhile, the city’s housing authorities would be looking into whether protective layers used to cover the residential buildings during their refurbishment were sufficiently fire proof, according to Hong Kong leader John Lee.
“We will hold those accountable in accordance with the laws and regulations,” he said.
Bamboo scaffolding used to encase buildings in Hong Kong that have been cited as possible cause of fires in the past may also be a factor in Wednesday’s blaze.
There's a somber mood at one makeshift emergency shelter as evacuees sleep on floor mats
Many evacuees from the Hong Kong apartment complex that caught fire on Wednesday are spending the night at a sports center-turned-emergency shelter in Tai Po District.
The shelter was still bustling with volunteer activity at 2 a.m. local time as they sorted through supplies, including boxes of bottled water, bags full of cup noodles and sliced bread.
In a large hall, CNN crews saw evacuees sleeping on mats lining the floor, covered by white blankets. Their few possessions – backpacks, shoes – sit nearby. The mood is quiet and somber, with staff sitting around the room, speaking in whispers.
More than 700 residents living in the apartment complex have been evacuated to temporary shelters, District Officer for Tai Po from the Home Affairs Department Eunice Chan Hau-man said earlier at a news conference.
Dazed residents linger on streets near burning buildings into early morning
It’s the early hours of Thursday morning, but residents of Hong Kong’s Tai Po district are still gathered on the streets to watch firefighters battle a blaze at an apartment complex that has already claimed at least 36 lives.
Drones whiz overhead, some casting a spotlight onto the burning buildings, while multiple hoses spray water at the various towers aflame.
At a nearby gathering point that was earlier packed with evacuees, many displaced residents have now dispersed – some to stay with family nearby, others transported by buses to larger shelters where they can stay overnight.
A few elderly residents remain, and a volunteer tells CNN they may be waiting to return to their homes – even if that’s not likely to come for another few days.
Many of the residents are elderly; we saw one man helped by multiple people as he took small faltering steps, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.
It’s a reminder of the vulnerable demographic that lives in these public housing complexes – which are meant to provide affordable homes to lower income families.
The largest proportion of residents in Wang Fuk Court were aged 65 and above, according to the latest government figures from 2021.
Hong Kong leader calls Wednesday's fire "a major disaster"
Hong Kong’s leader John Lee called Wednesday’s fire “a major disaster.”
Speaking to reporters in the early hours of Thursday, Lee said some signs of fire were still visible at four of the seven apartment buildings that caught fire Wednesday.
He said about 900 residents affected by the fire have sought refugee in temporary shelters.
Police have set up a task force to investigate the cause of the fire, Lee said, adding that housing authorities will investigate whether protective layers that were used to shield the buildings during a recent refurbishment complied with fire safety standards.
At least 36 people killed in fire at Hong Kong apartment complex, 279 "uncontactable"
At least 36 people have died in the blaze at the Hong Kong apartment complex, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee told a news conference on Wednesday as the fires continue to burn into the early hours of the morning,
He added that 279 people are “uncontactable” and 29 people have been hospitalized, including at least seven in critical condition.
“I am saddened by their deaths and I express deep condolences to the families of the deceased and those who were injured. We will provide all necessary assistance,” Lee told reporters.
Lee added the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
More than 700 residents evacuated to temporary shelters
More than 700 residents living in the Hong Kong apartment complex that caught fire on Wednesday have been evacuated to temporary shelters, District Officer for Tai Po from the Home Affairs Department Eunice Chan Hau-man said at a news conference.
Wang Fuk Court, the public housing estate that went aflame, consists of eight high-rise towers and is home to more than 4,000 people. Many of the residents are pensioners, with roughly 36% of residents 65 or older, according to government-sourced data.
All eight towers have at least 31 storeys, providing almost 2,000 residential units, according to Centaline Property Agency.
Here’s what fire officials are saying about rescue efforts as responders work to control the blaze
Firefighters are desperately working to bring the high-rise fires in the Tai Po District in Hong Kong under control, while also trying to reach residents trapped inside the buildings that are engulfed in flames.
Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the Hong Kong Fire Department, provided updates on efforts by first responders earlier.
Here’s what we know:
- High temperatures are hindering rescue efforts: Firefighters trying to reach the people still trapped on the upper floors of the burning buildings are facing “extremely high temperatures” inside the towers, according to Chan.
- Officials urge trapped residents to reach out: Chan urged those still trapped to close all doors and windows and seal them with tape and wet napkins. He also asked residents who are trapped to call the Hong Kong Fire Department and flag which unit they are in.
- Debris from fire posing risks: The crews attempting to extinguish the massive fire in Hong Kong are facing extreme conditions, Chan said. “Debris and scaffolding of the affected building are falling down, posing additional danger to our frontline personnel,” he said.
- Firefighter killed: Separately, Hong Kong officials have paid tribute to the firefighter who was killed during the operation in Tai Po today, naming him as Ho Wai-ho. The Secretary for Security, Tang Ping-keung, said Ho sustained injuries while fighting the fire.
Deadly blaze turns spotlight on Hong Kong's bamboo scaffolding
Wednesday’s fire is the second in less than two months at a Hong Kong building encased in bamboo scaffolding.
In mid-October, a large blaze broke out at a high-rise building in Hong Kong’s Central business district, with officials saying that a cigarette butt likely sparked the flames.
No casualties were reported during this incident, though four people were hospitalized.
For context: Bamboo scaffolding — an ancient construction technique widely used in Hong Kong — has come under increasing scrutiny for its safety and durability, despite remaining an essential method for the construction and repair of structures in the densely packed city.
At least 13 killed and 30 injured as fire continues to burn
At least 13 people have been killed and 30 have suffered injuries as the fire spread across the Wang Fuk complex on Wednesday.
CNN previously reported 15 people being injured, a number that has now gone up to 30, according to Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, which runs all public hospitals in the city.
Second fire breaks out across the river, but is quickly extinguished
A second, smaller fire, broke out briefly across the Tai Po river, just minutes’ walk from the Wang Fuk Court complex.
Several fire trucks were dispatched to the site and the fire, which burnt in a wooded area behind a secondary school, was quickly extinguished.
It is unclear at this stage what caused this fire and whether it was related to the Wang Fuk Court blaze.
An apartment block has been engulfed in flames for more than 8 hours. Here's what we know so far
An apartment complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po neighborhood caught fire just before 3 p.m. local time, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more.
Here’s what we know so far.
Firefighters battling the flames are struggling to reach trapped residents: Temperatures are scorching hot inside Wang Fuk Court, where firefighters are struggling to reach many people still trapped on higher floors of several buildings, a fire official said.
Thousands of people affected: Wang Fuk Court, a public housing estate consisting of eight high-rise towers and nearly 2,000 apartments, is home to more than 4,000 people. Many of the residents are pensioners, with roughly 36% of residents 65 or older, according to government-sourced data. Those who have evacuated won’t be able to go home tonight, and must find another place to sleep. One evacuated resident told CNN no fire alarms went off in her home.
Plumes of smoke and falling materials: Residents and bystanders have watched in horror as the fire continues to rage, with black smoke engulfing several of the buildings. The complex’s bamboo scaffolding – a common construction material in Hong Kong – has been peeling off the sides of the towers and dropping 10 to 20 stories down, sometimes hitting debris and sending off a shower of sparks.
Fire is rare disaster in Hong Kong: The blaze has been declared to be level five fire, the highest rating used by Hong Kong firefighters in one of the most densely populated cities with the highest concentrations of skyscrapers in the world. Hong Kong though has retained a strong track record on building safety, thanks to its high quality construction, strict enforcement of building regulations and public adherence to shelter warnings.
CNN’s Jerome Taylor, Jessie Yeung and Ivana Kottasová contributed to this post.
Hong Kong officials mourn firefighter killed in rescue operation
Hong Kong officials have paid tribute to the firefighter who was killed during the operation in Tai Po today, naming him as 37-year old Ho Wai-ho.
The Secretary for Security, Tang Ping-keung, said Ho sustained injuries while fighting the fire.
The Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said her administration will “make every effort to help the family of Mr Ho during this sad and difficult period.”
A retiree's newly renovated apartment was ready to move in. Now, it's "all burnt"
Many of the thousands of residents of the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex are currently sheltering at a nearby school and a park which have been turned into emergency shelters by the authorities.
Staff at the impromptu shelters are handing out bottles of water and many of the people there are having a late dinner out of takeout boxes. For many, it might be the first meal they’ve had in many hours.
One elderly man, eating a box of roast chicken and rice, told CNN he’d just flown home that day from mainland China and had seen the news of the fire before his flight.
At that time, the fire was still isolated to one building within the housing complex, and he assumed it would be extinguished quickly, believing his apartment, in a different tower, would be safe.
By the time he landed in Hong Kong a few hours later, the fire had engulfed several more buildings — including his own.
The man, a retiree, bought the apartment in March after living in the neighborhood for decades.
He spent eight months renovating the apartment, an endeavour that cost him tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars. He was preparing to move in imminently.
Now, he said, “it’s all burnt.”
"I just cannot believe what we're seeing": UK-based fire expert weighs in on the Hong Kong fire
A UK-based independent fire and emergency planning consultant said the Hong Kong high-rise fire has left him stunned as he recalled lessons learned after London’s Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
Authorities have not weighed in on the cause of the Hong Kong fire, and firefighters are still actively working to reach some residents who are still trapped on higher floors.
Mackenzie noted that the bamboo scaffolding surrounding the building has some “degree of flame retardant,” but that does not really matter once a fully developed fire forms, because “ultimately, it’s combustible.”
Mackenzie noted that in the UK, they try to use aluminum or steel for scaffolding, but in Asia bamboo is used because it can be locally sourced, is cheap and sustainable.
He later added this fire could “eclipse the Grenfell Tower fire,” which killed 72 people in London.
About the London fire: A seven-year public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire found the blaze was caused by “decades of failure” by the UK government and the construction industry that allowed the 24-story building to be wrapped in flammable cladding.
This post has been updated with additional information about the state of the investigation into the Hong Kong fire.
CNN’s Maeva Labbe-Maalouf contributed to this post.
Xi Jinping expresses condolences to victims of deadly fire
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has expressed his condolences to the victims of today’s major Hong Kong tower block fire, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Xi urged “all-out efforts” from representatives of China’s Central Committee and the Hong Kong Liaison Office to do “everything possible” to assist efforts in minimizing casualties and losses from the fire, according to CCTV.
CCTV also reported that the Liaison Office has established “close contact” with the Hong Kong government to support rescue efforts, and that work is “currently underway.”
Firefighter chief says falling debris poses risk to his crews
The crews attempting to extinguish the massive fire in Hong Kong are facing extreme conditions, the deputy director of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department said as firefighters continued to struggle to bring the blaze under control.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Derek Armstrong Chan said the firefighters on the scene were exposed to extremely high temperatures and other dangers.
“Debris and scaffolding of the affected building are falling down, posing additional danger to our frontline personnel,” he said.
CNN’s teams on the ground have witnessed numerous pieces of the scaffolding falling from large heights, causing sparks to fly when hitting the ground.
Distraught crowds gasp as fire shows no signs of abating
Many residents of the Tai Po neighborhood have gathered near the burning buildings — the crowd letting out audible gasps when booms are heard.
Residents of the affected towers have been reluctant to speak to media, but several told CNN they had watched the fires burn for hours, since it began in the afternoon; it’s now nearing 10 p.m. local time, and the fire shows no signs of abating.
They won’t be able to go home tonight, and must find another place to sleep, they said.
Several were elderly and visibly distraught; the public housing estate, which mostly sells discounted apartments for lower-income households, is disproportionately made up of residents aged 65 and above.
Residents on higher floors still trapped in building, with some in touch with fire department
Temperatures are scorching hot inside Wang Fuk Court, where firefighters are struggling to reach many people still trapped on higher floors, a fire official said.
“Fire in some individual units are very fierce and our firefighters have encountered extreme high temperatures inside the buildings,” Derek Armstrong Chan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Fire Department, has said at a news conference.
Chan urged those still trapped to close all doors and windows and seal them with tape and wet napkins.
“Call us and tell us your unit number and the amount of people inside your apartment and we will be in touch as soon as possible,” he said.
High temperatures hindering rescue operations, fire official warns
Firefighters trying to reach the people still trapped on the upper floors of the burning buildings are facing “extremely high temperatures” inside the towers, according to Derek Armstrong Chan, the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Fire Department.
Speaking at a news conference, Armstrong Chan said the extreme conditions are making it impossible for his crews to access the higher levels.
“Due to extreme heat inside the specific buildings, we are currently unable to reach upward to those trapped inside. And we will keep going and keep trying,” he said.
Building resident tells CNN that no fire alarms were going off in her home
One resident of the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex told CNN she was at home when the fire broke out in one of the other buildings inside the multi-tower housing complex.
She said she didn’t initially plan to evacuate as the fire seemed far enough away and no fire alarms were going off in her home.
But when she ventured outside to see the fire from the ground, she realized the extent of the danger, with flames spreading across multiple buildings.
She said she hadn’t brought any valuables or extra clothes with her before she found herself cordoned off and unable to return.
The resident, who declined to share her name, said she had lived in her apartment for several years with her family.
She said it was heartbreaking to see the buildings burn, leaving her in tears earlier this afternoon.
The family’s apartment is located on the lower levels of one of the towers and so she is hoping it would be safe from the flames.
But at least for now, she’s got no way home – and the family will need to stay with relatives nearby for the night.
