At least 36 people, including a firefighter, have died and 279 are still missing after a fierce fire devastated a residential complex in Hong Kong, UNN reports with reference to the South China Morning Post.
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According to media reports, another 29 people were hospitalized, seven of them in critical condition, Chief Executive John Lee said at a morning press conference at Prince of Wales Hospital.
Earlier, President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the victims in an evening statement, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
On Wednesday, huge plumes of dark smoke rose from the scene at Wang Fuk Court, with flames quickly spreading to seven of the eight blocks in the residential complex.
Police said on Wednesday that they had received numerous reports of people trapped in the building where the fire started.
The fire was initially classified as a level one fire, but within hours it was quickly upgraded to the highest level – 5.
In Hong Kong, fires are rated on a scale of one to five, with higher numbers indicating greater severity.
Hong Kong residential complex fire: death toll rises to 1326.11.25, 15:19