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Protests in Hong Kong

Tai Po fire marks deadliest residential blaze in Hong Kong’s history

The media recalled that the metropolis's previous most lethal fire took place at the Garley Building in 1996, claiming 41 lives and injuring 81 people

HONG KONG, November 27. /TASS/. A fire in a residential complex within Hong Kong's Tai Po District has resulted in at least 55 fatalities, establishing it as the deadliest residential building fire in the city's history, the South China Morning Post newspaper reports.

The publication recalled that the metropolis's previous most lethal fire took place at the Garley Building in 1996, claiming 41 lives and injuring 81 people. That incident was triggered by welding work performed in breach of safety protocols.

The blaze at the Wang Fuk Court complex, a development of eight high-rise towers, ignited on Wednesday. One structure sustained minimal damage, while the other seven were severely affected by the fire. The flames propagated quickly across bamboo scaffolding installed for cosmetic refurbishments. The complex contains nearly 2,000 apartments, accommodating approximately 4,000 residents.

According to the most recent information, the confirmed death toll is at least 55, with about 100 individuals injured. A further 279 people are currently listed as missing.

The Russian Consulate General in Hong Kong has informed TASS that it presently possesses no information regarding Russian citizens being among the fire's victims. Russian diplomatic personnel are maintaining close watch over the situation.

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