At least 36 people were killed and more than 250 were injured due to a massive fire in a high rise residential building in Hong Kong.Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences and urged the city to contain the disaster swiftly.State media reported that Xi called on authorities to “make every effort” to put out the fire and minimise further loss of life.
“Xi Jinping expressed condolences for those who died in the major fire at a residential estate in Tai Po District, New Territories, Hong Kong, including the firefighter who died in the line of duty,” it said.Here are the top developmentsRescue ops ongoingHong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed the rising toll and said that search teams were still tracing missing residents as smoke continued to billow from the charred towers.The Fire Services Department said it received the first emergency call at 2:51 pm local time and escalated the blaze to a No 4 alarm at 3:34 pm, one level below the highest emergency classification. Dozens of engines, ambulances and rescue teams were deployed as smoke poured from the towers, which house around 2,000 apartments and were undergoing renovation work.“Police and the Fire Services Department have already set up a dedicated investigation team to investigate the cause of the fire,” said John Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, as quoted by AP.Witness account Witnesses described seeing residents gathered on overhead walkways as flames climbed rapidly up buildings covered in bamboo scaffolding.The Tai Po district, home to nearly 300,000 people, is among Hong Kong’s most tightly packed urban zones. Roads around the area remain closed, with bus routes diverted as firefighters continue sweeping each floor to locate survivors. More details are awaited as authorities verify the number of missing residents and assess structural safety before entering deeper sections of the complex.
