At least 4 dead in blaze in Hong Kong residential high-rise complex with others trapped inside

At least four people have been killed by a blazing fire that has engulfed a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong, authorities said, with others reportedly still trapped inside.

The city’s Fire Services Department reported four deaths and three people injured. Police earlier reported eight victims. The reason for the discrepancy wasn’t immediately clear.

Hong Kong media said one of the deceased was a firefighter but that could not be immediately confirmed.

At least one man and one woman have been taken unconscious to hospital with severe burns, according to media reports. 

The raging fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it spread on bamboo scaffolding that had been set up around the exterior of the complex in the city’s Tai Po district. Live video from the scene showed firefighters aiming water at the intense flames from high up on ladder trucks as the dusk skies darkened, with smoke billowing from windows and red-hot embers falling to the ground.

The blaze was first reported mid-afternoon and has since been upgraded to a No. 4 alarm fire, the second highest level of severity, the Fire Services Department said.

 Police have said they have received multiple reports of people trapped in the affected buildings.

“Nearby residents please stay indoors and close doors and windows and stay calm and avoid going to areas affected by fire incidents,” the Hong Kong Fire Services Department wrote on Facebook.

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