The death toll from the fire at a residential complex in Hong Kong has risen to 36, with 279 still missing.

BarcelonaA massive fire has engulfed a residential complex in Hong Kong, where seven of the eight towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po district are now surrounded by flames. The fire broke out at 2:50 p.m. local time (7:50 a.m. in Catalonia) and, despite the deployment of 737 firefighters, continues to burn. The complex contained nearly 2,000 apartments and more than 4,500 residents. According to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, the death toll, still provisional, stands at 36, but at least 279 people remain unaccounted for. In addition, 29 people are hospitalized, seven of whom are in critical condition.

"The fire is beginning to be brought under control," Lee told reporters more than ten hours after the blaze began. "The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the trapped residents; the second is to support the injured," he added, assuring that a "thorough investigation" into the cause would follow. There is still no confirmed number of people trapped inside the buildings, and firefighters have warned that, for the moment, it is not safe to access them to complete the search and rescue operations.

There is no official hypothesis at the moment, but it is believed that the fire spread rapidly through the bamboo scaffolding erected on the exterior of the buildings, as the complex was undergoing renovations. In Hong Kong, this type of scaffolding is common in construction due to its lightness and strength, but in recent years it has raised growing safety concerns. In fact, according to local media, the government had been studying a gradual reduction in its use for months.

37m² apartments

The apartments in the Wang Fuk Court residential complex have an average size of between 37 and 47 square meters and were built in 1983. These are typical Hong Kong buildings, characterized by their compact design and close proximity between blocks, where families often live in modest apartments that make the most of every space. This high density, combined with the bamboo scaffolding surrounding the buildings, significantly increases the risk of a fire escalating and affecting a large number of residents. Just this past Monday, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a red alert for fire danger.

The fire that has broken out is considered level 5, the most severe category. This is the first time in 17 years that Hong Kong has faced a fire of this magnitude. The last major fire in Hong Kong was in 2008, when four people died in a blaze at Cornwall Court in the Mong Kok neighborhood. This is the worst fire to hit Hong Kong since 41 people died in a 1996 fire at a commercial building, caused by welding during internal renovations. Tai Po district councilor Mui Siu-fung explained that nearly 95% of residents in the surrounding buildings have already been evacuated. The government has opened several pavilions and community centers to accommodate the affected residents, most of whom are elderly. The temporary shelter at the Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre is already full, and authorities are advising those affected to go to other designated facilities. The fire has forced the suspension of classes at six schools in the district on Thursday, and, in parallel, several political parties have announced the suspension of their election campaigns for the legislative elections, which are scheduled for December 7, although a decision has not yet been made on whether the date will be postponed.