Massive fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rises, killing 13

A fire that spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex has killed 13 people and injured at least 15 others, in what authorities say is the city’s deadliest blaze in years.

Nine victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while four others died in hospital. Around 700 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters as flames and thick smoke swept through the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po district.

The fire began Wednesday afternoon on external bamboo scaffolding and construction netting before rapidly spreading to multiple residential blocks, authorities said. Strong winds fueled the blaze, which was upgraded to a level 5 alarm - the city’s highest severity rating - and continued burning late into the night.

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Hundreds of firefighters, police officers, and paramedics were deployed. Firefighters used ladder trucks to battle intense flames, but rescue efforts were hindered by falling debris and extreme heat inside the buildings, according to officials.

One firefighter was among the dead, and another was treated for heat exhaustion. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Local officials said many of those trapped were elderly residents. Temporary shelters have been opened for displaced families.

The disaster marks Hong Kong’s worst fire since 1996, when 41 people were killed in a commercial building in Kowloon.