Firefighters have spent the night battling a fire that engulfed a high-rise construction project in Tsim Sha Tsui.

tst fire
A fire burns at a high-rise building under construction in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on March 3, 2023. Photo: Peter Parks/AFP.

The fire broke out at around 11 p.m. on Thursday at the Empire Group’s Mariners’ Club development on Middle Road, as over a hundred nearby residents were evacuated.

tst fire
A fire burns at a high-rise building under construction in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on March 3, 2023. Photo: Peter Parks/AFP.

Debris fell to the ground as flames ripped through the bamboo scaffolding.

tst fire
A fire burns at a high-rise building under construction in the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Hong Kong on March 3, 2023. Photo: Peter Parks/AFP.

Police told HKFP that no casualties or injuries were reported.

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui fire
The aftermath of the fire on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday, March 3, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

The Fire Services Department said in a press release that the No.4 alarm blaze was surrounded at 7:31 a.m. and under control at 8:08 a.m. By 8:30 a.m., it had largely been extinguished, they added.

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui fire
The aftermath of the fire on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday, March 3, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

A No.4 fire is the second-highest on the department’s scale.

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui fire
The aftermath of the fire on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday, March 3, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Two jets and three breathing apparatus teams fought the blaze, according to the Fire Services Department.

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The blaze in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Elon_the_monkey & ReubenBibi via Twitter.

Local media reported that two motorists were injured, though police said the cases were not related to the fire.

Surrounding roads remained closed on Friday morning, including Pinetree Hill Road, and Nathan Road between Austin Road and Salisbury Road. Carnarvon Road westbound to Nathan Road, and Salisbury Road eastbound from Nathan Road to Chatham Road South, were also closed.

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui fire
The aftermath of the fire on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday, March 3, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

The authorities will hold a press briefing at 10 a.m.

Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui fire
The aftermath of the fire on Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui on Friday, March 3, 2023. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Clarification 11 a.m.: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the height of the building that was on fire, saying it had 43 storeys. The Fire Services Department stated during its 10 a.m. press conference that it was 48 storeys tall, but according to developer Empire Group, the structure has 42 floors.

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Tom Grundy

Tom is the editor-in-chief and founder of Hong Kong Free Press. He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He has contributed to the BBC, Euronews, Al-Jazeera and others.