A massive fire in Hong Kong has killed at least 55 people and left 268 others missing. Of the victims, 51 died at the scene and four in hospital. A firefighter also died while battling the blaze.
The incident is considered the biggest tragedy of its kind in Hong Kong for more than 60 years, equaling the historic fires of 1962, when a fire in the Sham Shui Po neighborhood killed 44 people and left hundreds homeless.
The fire broke out in a high-rise building in a densely populated area of the city. The flames spread rapidly due to a large amount of fireworks being stored inside the building. According to reports from the South China Morning Post, about 22.7 kg of fireworks on the upper floors caused powerful explosions, engulfing many floors and trapping residents inside the building.
This event comes after several similar tragedies: in 1996, a fire in the Garley Building in Kowloon killed 41 people and injured 81 others, while in 1948 an explosion in a five-story hazardous materials warehouse caused 176 fatalities.
Local authorities are intensively engaged in rescuing survivors and identifying the missing. Fire and medical services are working in difficult conditions to control the flames and provide immediate assistance.
