Hong Kong Tower Inferno Claims More Than a Dozen Lives, More Trapped Inside
Hong Kong Dozens Killed in Catastrophic Tower Fires ... Residents Trapped Inside as Inferno Rages
Published
|
Updated
Update
12:18 PM PT -- Hong Kong police arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to the apartment building inferno, according to CNN.
A fire spread across multiple high-rise apartment towers in Hong Kong on Wednesday, reportedly killing at least 36 people ... with many more trapped inside as the blaze rages on.
According to CNN, seven of the eight buildings from the Wang Fuk Court complex -- which reportedly holds 2,000 apartments -- were still on fire Wednesday as more people were believed to be trapped inside. The New York Times later reported 279 people were missing as of Wednesday afternoon.
CNN reports that at least 767 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fire. At least one firefighter has been counted among the dead.
Authorities say many others have been injured, and the government has reportedly opened temporary shelters to accommodate affected residents.
Fire is reportedly rare in the city despite the common use of bamboo scaffolding. The inferno tore through the support structure and was on its way to becoming what appeared to be the deadliest fire the region has seen in almost 30 years.
