At Least 12 Killed in Deadly Fire at Hong Kong Apartment Blocks

At least 12 people have reportedly been killed in a fire at an apartment block in Hong Kong.

The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district at around 2:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Nov. 26, the Hong Kong government said in a release. The fire was upgraded from a No. 3 alarm in the afternoon to a No. 5 alarm, which is the highest, by Wednesday evening.

The victims included eight women and three men, the South Morning China Post (SMCP) reported. A further 16 people were reportedly injured.

A 37-year-old firefighter also died in the blaze after he lost contact with his team at around 3:30 p.m. local time, per the SMCP. He was found 30 minutes later, “with burns to his face,” and died at 4:45 p.m.

Photos from the scene show several apartment blocks filled with smoke and fire. The SMCP reported that 13 people were believed to be trapped in the burning complex, including eight older residents and two babies, as confirmed by Tai Po, former district councillor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho.

More than 100 pets are also trapped in the apartment buildings, according to the outlet.

“Residents in the vicinity are advised to remain indoors with doors and windows closed, remain calm, and avoid traveling to areas affected by the fire,” the Hong Kong Fire Department wrote on Facebook.

The housing complex where the fire started has 2000 apartments within eight blocks, housing around 4000 residents. The complex has been occupied since 1983 and is under the government’s subsidised home ownership scheme, per the BBC and Reuters.

Temporary shelters have been set up for evacuated residents in the Tai Po district, per SMCP.

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Hong Kong’s Transport Department said in a post on Facebook that Tai Po Road, one of the city’s major highways, would remain closed following the incident.

It is not currently known what caused the fire.

PEOPLE has contacted the Tai Po Police for comment.