A large fire swept through multiple residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring more than a dozen others as firefighters worked for hours to contain the expanding blaze, as reported by The New York Post.

The fire began at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, a group of eight blocks containing roughly 2,000 apartments. Officials said the cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

The Fire Services Department received the first report of the fire at 2:51 p.m. According to officials, the fire intensified rapidly, and by 6:22 p.m. it had been raised to a No. 5 alarm, Hong Kong’s highest emergency classification.

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Strong winds carried flames to seven of the complex’s blocks, making the situation more difficult as firefighters reported rising heat levels on the upper floors.

The towers were covered with bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh as part of an ongoing renovation project, according to property information posted online.

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The government began phasing out bamboo scaffolding earlier this year, citing safety concerns. The complex, built in 1983 under a subsidized home-ownership scheme, has been undergoing HK$330 million in renovations, with residents paying between HK$160,000 and HK$180,000 per unit.

Reuters witnesses reported seeing frames of scaffolding collapse to the ground as crews worked to control the fire. Fire engines and ambulances lined the streets surrounding the towers. A firefighter was among the 36 confirmed dead. More than 16 people have been injured.

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Residents watched from nearby walkways as smoke poured out of the buildings. A 71-year-old man identified as Mr. Wong said his wife was trapped inside one of the towers and cried as he described the situation.

Another resident, 66-year-old Harry Cheung, said he heard “a very loud noise at around 2:45 p.m.” and saw flames spreading from a nearby block.

Cheung, who has lived in Block Two for more than four decades, said, “I immediately went back to pack up my things. I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight because I probably won’t be able to go back home.”

Hong Kong’s Transport Department said an entire section of Tai Po Road, one of the city’s major highways, was closed because of the fire, and bus routes were diverted.

Officials noted that Wednesday’s incident is the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since November 1996, when 41 people were killed in a commercial building in Kowloon.

That fire was linked to welding work during internal renovations and led to widespread revisions of fire safety standards across the city.

Authorities said the investigation into the Tai Po fire remains underway as emergency crews continue to search the complex.

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