Major fire traps hundreds in Hong Kong tower, 12 injured

HONG KONG — Hundreds of radical were trapped connected the rooftop of a Hong Kong skyscraper aft a large occurrence broke retired connected Wednesday, arsenic firefighters rushed to rescue them and enactment retired the blaze.

The occurrence started successful the aboriginal day astatine the World Trade Centre connected Gloucester Road successful the city’s fashionable Causeway Bay buying district, according to a authorities notice. The 38-story operation houses some offices and a mall.

At slightest 12 radical were sent to infirmary for treatment, according to authorities.

Dense fume was seen billowing retired from the building, and photos and videos from those trapped wrong showed mediocre visibility arsenic fume filled restaurants and stairways of the building.

About 300 radical evacuated to the apical of the gathering portion waiting to beryllium rescued, constabulary told section media.

Tens of radical trapped successful the gathering had besides jammed into constrictive areas connected an open-air podium connected the 5th floor, peering implicit the borderline arsenic they awaited rescue.

Preliminary investigations by the constabulary suggested that the occurrence had breached retired successful the electrical power country located connected the archetypal level of the buying mall, earlier spreading to the scaffolding that surrounded portion of the building, according to section paper South China Morning Post.

Firefighters had utilized an extendable ladder to rescue the radical connected the 5th floor. Other radical were said to beryllium trapped successful restaurants successful the mall, added the section newspaper.

A full of astir 1,200 radical were evacuated from the building, according to section media reports.

The occurrence was upgraded to a level 3 incident, according to a constabulary notice. Fires are graded connected a standard of 1 to five, with 5 being the astir severe. As of 3:06 p.m., authorities said the occurrence was nether control.

Two breathing apparatus teams and 2 h2o jets were mobilized to assistance combat the blaze, constabulary said.