Multiple people dead after blaze travels across high-rise buildings

The complex is covered by the government’s subsidized homeownership scheme. According to real estate agencies’ websites, it has been occupied since 1983.

Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used as scaffolding in construction.

The government moved to begin phasing out the city’s use of bamboo scaffolding in March, citing safety. He announced that 50% of public construction works will require the use of metal frames.

Hong Kong’s Ministry of Transport said that the entire Tai Po road, one of Hong Kong’s two main highways, was closed due to the fire and the direction of buses was changed.

The city’s Bureau of Education said at least six schools would be closed Thursday due to fires and traffic congestion. It is the worst fire in Hong Kong since 41 people died in a commercial building in the heart of Kowloon in November 1996.

The Fire Department said the fire was reported in the afternoon, and after dusk authorities upgraded the blaze to a level 5 alert, the highest severity level.

“I stopped thinking about my property,” Wu, who gave only his surname, told TVB. “It was really frustrating to watch him burn like that.”

Tai Po is a suburban district in the New Territories, in the northern part of Hong Kong and near the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.

District authorities in Tai Po opened temporary shelters for people left homeless by the fire, and about 700 people were evacuated from inside the buildings.