Fire engulfs residential building in Hong Kong

A fire engulfed a residential building in Hong Kong's northern Tai Po district on Wednesday, with plumes of thick grey smoke billowing out as emergency services battled to subdue the blaze.



Several people are trapped inside, public broadcaster RTHK reported, citing police, while one man has suffered serious burns, it said.



The fire department said it received reports at 2:51 p.m. local time that a fire had broken out in Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. It was upgraded to a No. 4 alarm at 3:34 p.m.



Wang Fuk Court is a housing complex made up of eight blocks, providing close to 2,000 residential units. Several towers around the blazing tower have bamboo scaffolding on their exterior.