A huge fire ripped through several high-rise blocks in a Hong Kong residential estate on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people, with media reporting that some residents were trapped inside.
Massive flames first took hold on bamboo scaffolding on several apartment blocks of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, a district in the northern part of the Chinese financial hub, before engulfing other parts of the buildings.
An AFP reporter heard loud cracking sounds, possibly from the burning bamboo, and saw thick plumes of smoke billowing from at least five out of the estate’s eight buildings as flames and ash reached high into the sky.
“There’s nothing that can be done about the property. We can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely,” a Tai Po resident surnamed So, 57, told AFP near the scene of the fire.
“It’s heartbreaking. We’re worried there are people trapped inside.”
The blaze showed no signs of slowing after dark, with flames inside the tower blocks casting an eerie orange glow on the surrounding buildings.
Police said earlier they had received reports of residents trapped in buildings, according to Hong Kong media reports.
Officers at the scene told AFP on the condition of anonymity that they were unable to confirm whether there were still residents stuck in the buildings by nightfall, adding that “firefighters aren’t able to go in”.
