Videos show Hong Kong's World Trade Centre on fire, 300 people trapped inside building
Hundreds are still trapped in the World Trade Center in Hong Kong after a fire broke out in the building on Wednesday. Reports said many people were trapped on the rooftop as firefighters rushed immediately to put off the blaze and rescue them. Reports put the number of trapped people at more than 300. Many videos are circulating on social media which show the fire inside the building.
The fire started early afternoon in the building on Gloucester Road in the shopping district of Causeway Bay. The 38-story building has offices as well as a shopping mall. The authorities have informed that about 12 people were sent to the hospital as they were injured and needed treatment.
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Firefighters used an extendable ladder to rescue the people who were stuck on the lower floors of the building. According to South China's local Morning Post newspaper, there were several people who were still stuck in the restaurants in the building. A lot of people have been waiting on the roof of the building to be rescued before the fire gets any worse. Reports said many of them have already been brought out of the building.
While some people got serious injuries and had to be taken to the hospital, some just covered their nose and mouth and did not need any treatment when they came out. As per the police notice, the fire incident went up to level three. For the unversed, fire incidents are graded on a scale of one to five with one being least severe and five being most severe. As of now, the authorities have informed everyone that the fire is under control.
To put off the blaze, the police installed two breathing apparatus teams and two water jets outside the building within a close parameter.
Sharing the news on Twitter, the Hong Kong Free Press wrote, "Firefighters received reports about the blaze at the World Trade Center around 12 pm, according to Commercial Radio. The fire, which was raised to the no. 3 alarm by 1 pm, is believed to have broken out on the building's first floor where renovations are going on."
Firefighters received reports about the blaze at the World Trade Center around 12 pm, according to Commercial Radio. The fire, which was raised to the no. 3 alarm by 1 pm, is believed to have broken out on the building's first floor where renovations are going on. pic.twitter.com/NWqNNM6ZRd
β Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (@hkfp) December 15, 2021
Another Twitter user shared a video of the smoke inside the building and how people were trapped. The user wrote, "#HongKong: Fire broke out at World Trade Centre, Hong Kong. At least 160 people are trapped and at least 3 are injured so far."
π¨ππ°#HongKong: Fire broke out at World Trade Centre, Hong Kong. At least 160 people are trapped and at least 3 are injured so far. pic.twitter.com/2AVkQ6Eyt2
β Terror Alarm (@terror_alarm) December 15, 2021
Speaking about the incident, another user wrote, "#Hongkong #worldtradecenter #fire was pretty scary today, with several hundred people trapped on roof areas, unable to get down through the smoke-filled lowest floors -- but at the time of writing there are no deaths or serious injuries, thank God."
#Hongkong #worldtradecenter #fire was pretty scary today, with several hundred people trapped on roof areas, unable to get down through the smoke-filled lowest floors -- but at the time of writing there are no deaths or serious injuries, thank God pic.twitter.com/51RVbxM0dW
β Nury Vittachi (@NuryVittachi) December 15, 2021
Another user shared the video of how people were rescued after the fire broke out and wrote, "A major fire breaks out at the #WorldTradeCenter in #HongKong."
.π΄#BreakingNews
β Cyber_Viperβ’οΈ (@Kaala_Nag) December 15, 2021
A major fire breaks out at the #WorldTradeCenter in #HongKonghttps://t.co/fHcsdreNF9 pic.twitter.com/mibnZ24a7M
Teams are still deployed with water jets and firefighters to evacuate people as there are still many people waiting to be rescued.