BUILDINGS SURROUNDED BY SMOKE AND FLAMES
People gathered on a nearby overhead walkway, watching in dismay as smoke billowed from the buildings, some of which were clad in bamboo scaffolding. Scores of fire engines and ambulances lined the road below the complex, according to Reuters witnesses.
The fire broke out in Wang Fuk Court, one of many high-rise housing complexes in Hong Kong, which is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Tai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is an established suburban district with a population of about 300,000.
Local television broadcaster TVB said the complex was undergoing major renovations. Wang Fuk Court is a complex under the government’s subsidised home ownership scheme. It has been occupied since 1983, according to the property’s website.
Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction. The government said earlier this year that it would start phasing it out for public projects because of safety concerns.
Source: CNA
