Fire traps hundreds on skyscraper roof
AROUND 300 people were trapped on the roof of Hong Kong’s 38-storey World Trade Centre after a fire broke out yesterday.
Local media reported that 13 people were injured and taken to hospital, with one woman in a critical condition.
Police said the fire broke out in the machine room and moved to the scaffolding surrounding the building, which is currently under renovation.
Those trapped on the roof have now been rescued, with more than 1,200 people in total evacuated from the building.
Firefighters battled to put out the blaze which started in the early afternoon at the World Trade Centre on Gloucester Road in the city’s popular Causeway Bay shopping district.
The building houses both offices and a shopping centre.
At least 12 people were sent to hospital for treatment.
Firefighters used an extendable ladder to rescue several people who were trapped on the lower floors of the building.
Other people were said to be trapped in restaurants in the mall, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper.
Those who were injured are aged between 25 and 60, according to the South China Morning Post. Local media reported that a 60-year-old woman was in a critical condition.
Nearly 300 people had evacuated to the top of the building while waiting to be rescued.
Many of them later left the building. Some of them were covering their noses and mouths but did not appear to be seriously injured.
The fire was upgraded to a level three incident, according to a police notice. Fires are graded on a scale of one to five, with five being the most severe. At 3.06pm, authorities said the fire was under control.
Firefighters mobilised two breathing apparatus teams and two water jets to help fight the fire.