Massive Hong Kong Skyscraper Inferno Kills At Least 36, With 279 Unaccounted For

A MASSIVE inferno is presently raging crossed 7 residential skyscrapers successful Hong Kong. At slightest 36 group person been killed and an further 279 group are “uncontactable” connected Wednesday, November 26 successful what has been classified arsenic a level 5 fire, nan astir superior threat level for a occurrence successful nan administrative region of China.

Hundreds of first responders conflict behemoth blaze

More than 700 firefighters are connected nan segment trying to power nan monstrous flames, which are presently engulfing 7 of nan 8 full high-rise buildings astatine nan Wang Fuk Court, location to astir 4,600 residents successful 2,000 flats successful nan Tai Po territory of Hong Kong. The buildings are besides location to a ample organization of aged residents. 

The Fire Services Department of nan Hong Kong Special Administrative Region deployed 8 hose lines, 7 aerial ladder trucks, 22 hunt teams, 128 occurrence engines, 57 ambulances and a full of 767 occurrence and ambulance personnel. There are presently 29 group receiving curen astatine a adjacent hospital, pinch 7 of them successful captious condition. Roughly 700 residents person been successfully evacuated to adjacent buildings and emergency shelters. Reportedly, a babe and an aged female person besides successfully been rescued from nan flames during nan late-night emergency operations, some being equipped pinch oxygen masks earlier being transported to nan hospital.

Fire dispersed done beardown winds and bamboo scaffolding

The fire, which began astatine astir 2:50pm connected Wednesday successful Hong Kong section clip (around 7:50am successful Central European Time), tore done nan bamboo scaffolding wide utilized successful Hong Kong for building and attraction projects to go nan astir deadly occurrence successful nan metropolis successful astir 3 decades. Firefighters utilized ladder trucks to conflict nan flames, but nan occurrence continued to rage connected and dispersed quickly to different buildings arsenic they were built very adjacent together. Additionally, beardown winds facilitated nan speedy dispersed of nan blaze.

The Hong Kong authorities had announced earlier this twelvemonth that they would beryllium phasing retired nan city’s bamboo scaffolding owed to information concerns.

Latest updates: Flames nether control, but decease toll continues to rise

According to nan astir caller reports, firefighters person managed to get nan chaotic blaze nether control, but they are arsenic of yet presently incapable to scope nan residents trapped connected nan precocious floors. According to Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee, 3 of nan 7 burning buildings now show nary signs of fire, and nan remaining 4 buildings are showing “disparate” signs of fire. 

Tragically, a 37-year-old firefighter has died battling nan blaze, and nan Hong Kong authorities has paid tribute to him, describing him arsenic “dedicated and gallant.” Another firefighter was treated for terrible power exhaustion.

“I americium saddened by their deaths and I definitive heavy condolences to nan families of nan deceased and those who were injured. We will supply each basal assistance,” Lee told reporters.

The surviving residents of nan buildings stay heartbroken, yet hopeful that their friends and loved ones person made it retired of nan blaze unscathed.

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