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 vowed to keep trying.
The blaze broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a large housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, at 14:51 local time on Wednesday (06:51 GMT).Wang Fuk Court consists of eight tower blocks, which are each 31-storeys high.
They provide 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, according to the 2021 government census. Built in 1983, the tower blocks were undergoing renovations, and the outside of the buildings was covered in bamboo scaffolding. Footage shows the fire spreading quickly through the bamboo.
A fire official said they were in touch with some of those trapped, and urged them to seal doors and windows with tape and wet napkins
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.
The fire is still raging in several of the buildings, with the smell of smoke in the air and the unending wail of fire trucks and police vehicles.
The roads surrounding the estate have been closed off and the only way in and out is on foot. The police has cordoned the area off, but crowds of people have gathered behind the police lines to watch the flames, flickering orange in the night.
CNN’s teams on the ground can see firefighters carrying heavy gear, dozens of parked fire trucks nearby.
As two tall hoses spray water at the burning towers, the other buildings are still alight, with no hoses to douse them.
On the ground, many residents can be heard wondering why more equipment isn’t being used, and why firefighting helicopters are not being deployed.
Every now and then, loud booms can be heard, large plumes of fire erupt out apartment windows, and embers can be seen flying from the building exteriors.
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Eyewitness Paul Marriott, a teacher and head of the Law Ting Pong Secondary School, told CNN that he was teaching in Tai Po at the time of the fire. When he and his students first saw smoke, he thought it was a forest fire.
It was “one of the most shocking things to ever witness,” Marriot said on his X account, where he shared multiple videos of the fire engulfing the buildings.
Tai Po District Councilor Li Man-kit tells BBC Chinese that at around 16:30 local time (08:30 GMT), the local community hall was opened for affected residents to register.
However, by about 18:30 local time, the Kwong Fuk Community Hall - closest to the fire and separated from Wang Fuk Court by a road - was deemed unsafe, and evacuees were moved to CCC Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School for shelter.
Fellow councillor Mui Sui-fung adds that during the last few hours, they received numerous requests for help from residents reporting losing contact with family members.
“Many people sent us WhatsApp messages or called us, saying they still have relatives inside or can’t find them," Mui says.
At present, it remains unclear how many residents are still inside the buildings.