Hundreds were trapped in Hong Kong’s World Trade Centre on Wednesday after a fire broke out in the 39-storey commercial complex, leaving at least 13 injured.
Reports of a fire at the shopping centre and office tower complex in the commercial heart of Causeway Bay caught were received at around 12.37 p.m..
The blaze was upgraded to a No.3 alarm fire at 1.03 p.m. Firefighters managed to surround the fire at 3.06 p.m., according to the authorities.
A least 13 people were sent to the Ruttonjee Hospital, the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and the Queen Mary Hospital for treatment as surrounding roads were closed around Causeway Bay.
A woman who was sent to Ruttonjee was said to be in critical condition, a government spokesperson told HKFP.
According to local media, police said a preliminary investigation found that the fire broke out inside a meter room on the first floor of World Trade Centre.
The blaze then spread to scaffolding on the exterior of the building where renovation works were underway. The authorities were still looking into the cause of the fire.
The fire was deemed under control by 4.25 p.m. and was largely put out by 4.30 p.m.
Trapped on upper floors
The force said people were trapped on different floors inside the building as hundreds awaited rescue on the rooftop on the 39th floor during the afternoon. Local media reported that some of the people trapped had to use oxygen masks.
Online footage showed dozens of customers evacuated from a buffet restaurant as smoke filled the room.
Some people were evacuated to East Point Road and Jaffe Road.
The Fire Services Department deployed two jets and mobilised two breathing apparatus teams to contain the blaze.
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