A towering skyscraper in Hong Kong has been engulfed in an out-of-control blaze, sending flaming chunks of debris tumbling hundreds of feet through the air to rain down on terrified citizens below.
Officials said the fire broke out around 11:10 p.m. local time (3:10 GMT on Friday) on Thursday evening in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, a busy shopping and tourist district on the city’s harbor.
Flames were first seen from scaffolding on top of the high-rise still under construction, with the blaze clearly visible from miles across the harbour.
About an hour later, the fire had spread the length of the building and was approaching street level, where hundreds of spectators had gathered.
On some floors, the flames intensified and explosions were also heard.
Two people, reportedly motorists, were injured by the falling debris and were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei for treatment, but there are no reports of deaths.
In early March 3, 2023, a fire breaks out in an office building in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong
On Friday, March 3, 2023, a fire burns at a construction site in Hong Kong. Hong Kong firefighters battle the fire that broke out at a construction site in the city’s popular shopping district
Bamboo scaffolding tumbles out of the skyscraper on fire
Onlookers on the other side of the harbor watch in disbelief as a Hong Kong skyscraper burns
Large pieces of debris – apparently from the site – were visible on the ground and a pungent odor permeated the air, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
Teams of firefighters were dispatched to the site to put out the blaze, but the height and ferocity kept the flames out of control well into the early hours of Friday morning.
Firefighters used jets and deployed teams with breathing apparatus to the lower floors of the building in a desperate attempt to reduce the intensity of the blaze.
Burning material and sparks were blown through the streets of Hong Kong and nearby buildings, including the five-star Sheraton Hotel, appeared to be damaged or even caught fire by the embers.
Some nearby residential blocks were evacuated as a precaution as the blaze got out of hand, and small fires were reported in adjacent office buildings, although police said these were quickly extinguished.
On March 3, 2023, a building is on fire in Hong Kong, China
A firefighter sprays water on a fire in Hong Kong, Friday, March 3, 2023
Residents and others watch as a fire burns at a construction site in Hong Kong, Friday, March 3, 2023
The skyscraper is set on fire in the early hours of Friday morning
Firefighters fight a fire at a construction site in Hong Kong, Friday, March 3, 2023
Japanese tourist Tosho Sai, who was staying in a nearby building, said a security guard told everyone on his floor to leave after a window in the apartment next door was hit by embers.
A French business traveler passing by the site said he saw “a lot of debris” falling from the tower.
“It’s a really apocalyptic scene… Really, really scary for everyone,” he said.
The building under construction was a 42-story “harbourside icon” intended to house the historic Mariners’ Club and a new hotel, according to the website of the developer, the Empire Group.
The HK$6 billion ($640 million) redevelopment project was greenlit in 2019 and was originally scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2023, according to local media.
Empire Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
