What we know about the Hong Kong apartment fires

A devastating fire broke out in several high-rise tower blocks in Hong Kong, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 15.

Pictures showed several buildings burning and thick smoke billowing into the air, dominating Hong Kong’s skyline.

As night fell on the island, the fire was still burning, hours after it was first reported, with 767 firefighters deployed to the scene.

It’s still unclear what caused the fire, but this is what we know so far.

A fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a large residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) on Wednesday.

Wang Phuc Court consists of eight tower blocks, each 31 storeys high.

According to the 2021 government census, they provide 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents.

Built in 1983, the tower blocks were undergoing renovation, and the exterior of the buildings were covered with bamboo scaffolding. It is seen in the footage that the fire is spreading rapidly through the bamboo.

The Hong Kong Fire Department has classified the fire as a level five alarm – the highest in severity.

Within 40 minutes of it being first reported, it was declared level four, but by 18:22, almost three and a half hours later, the level was raised again.

It has been 17 years since the last level five fire in Hong Kong.

Residents fear the fire will continue to burn through the night – and photographs from the scene in the evening showed buildings still burning.

The Hong Kong government first announced that at least four people had died, but then the death toll rose dramatically to 13. There are fears that the number may increase further, as many people are still missing.

Nine of the 13 were declared dead at the scene, said Chow Wing-yin of the fire service department.

At Wednesday night’s press conference, the number of injured was revised down to 15 people, down from the initial number of 28.

The dead included firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, who had been serving at the Sha Tin fire station for nine years.

The fire service said contact was lost at 15:30 and about half an hour later it was discovered that he had fallen. He was taken to the hospital, but was declared dead shortly afterwards.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of this dedicated and heroic fireman,” Fire Service Director Andy Yeung said in a statement.

The Hong Kong Fire Service said at least one other firefighter was in hospital.

Wang Phuc Court is home to approximately 4,600 residents, and there has been a mass evacuation of the area, including nearby buildings that are not part of the complex.

The government said several emergency shelters had been set up to accommodate evacuated residents.

The BBC’s China reporter Gemini Cheng saw elderly residents arriving at some shelters, some of whom were using walking sticks or wheelchairs. Coaches will later shift them to community halls that will remain open overnight to accommodate people displaced by the fire.

An emergency monitoring and assistance center is in operation to manage the impact of the fire, Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung said in a statement.

A hotline has been set up by Hong Kong Police for the public to inquire about casualties – the number is +852 1878 999.

The tower blocks of Wang Phuc Court are covered with bamboo scaffolding up to the roofs as they undergo renovation.

Bamboo scaffolding has been used in Hong Kong for centuries, because it grows fast, is lightweight and is very strong. Many see it as an iconic part of the city’s urban landscape – but Hong Kong is one of the last remaining cities in the world to use it in modern construction.

Local media reports in March said the government’s development bureau was trying to phase out the use of bamboo due to safety concerns. There was a push to use metal instead of bamboo after several scaffolding-related deaths in Hong Kong.

Bureau spokesperson Terrence Lam was quoted as saying that bamboo scaffolds have “intrinsic weaknesses such as variation in mechanical properties, degradation over time and high combustibility, etc., which give rise to safety concerns”.

The cause of the fire is still unclear, although officials said it appeared to have spread rapidly through the bamboo scaffolding – and to neighboring buildings.

Additional reporting by Jack Lau, BBC Global China Unit, and Gemini Cheng, BBC Chinese in Hong Kong.