Fire rages through bamboo scaffolding at Hong Kong high-rise residential
complex, killing 4
[November 26, 2025]
HONG KONG (AP) — A fire spread across multiple high-rise
apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex on Wednesday, killing
four people and leaving others trapped inside, authorities said.
Video from the scene showed at least five buildings close to each other
ablaze, with flames coming out of many of the apartments' windows.
Firefighters were aiming water at the intense flames from high up on
ladder trucks. |
Smoke rises after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential
estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories on
Wednesday, Nov. 26 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) |
|
The raging fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it
spread on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had
been set up around the exterior of the complex in the city’s Tai
Po district. Records show the housing complex consisted of eight
blocks housing almost 2,000 apartments.
The Hong Kong government reported four deaths and said three
other people were hospitalized. Two of the injured were in
critical condition and the other person was stable, a brief
statement said.
Police said they had received multiple reports of people trapped
in the affected buildings.
Hong Kong media said that one of the deceased was a firefighter,
but that could not be immediately confirmed.
The blaze was reported mid afternoon and upgraded to a No. 4
alarm fire, the second highest level of severity, the Fire
Services Department said.
Tai Po is a suburban area in the New Territories, in the
northern part of Hong Kong and near the border with the mainland
Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Bamboo scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong at building
construction and renovation projects, though the government said
earlier this year that it would start phasing it out for public
projects because of safety concerns.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
|
