What verified footage tells us about how the fire unfoldedpublished at 03:06 GMT
03:06 GMT
Media caption,
Video shows speed fire spreads in Hong Kong tower block
By Yi Ma and Emma Pengelly
We have been looking at social media footage, witness
accounts and official statements to build a timeline of the deadly Hong Kong
tower block fires. Here’s what we know so far:
Verified footage posted on the social platform Threads, captured
the first visible signs of fire at the easternmost block of Wang Fuk Court
yesterday. The user who uploaded the video said they noticed the flames at
14:51 local time (06:51 GMT). This aligns with the Hong Kong Fire
Services Department (HKFSD) statement, which reported receiving its first
alert at the same time.
Within 10 minutes, a witness says they spot the first firefighters
arriving as flames spread rapidly from the lower floors to several levels
above.
Another video, which was filmed from a different angle, shows the
fire then spread to the top of the block of flats.
By 16:10 a verified clip emerged on social media showing that
the fire had spread to at least two other towers, producing
thick smoke plumes.
At 16:41 authorities confirmed the first fatality, a firefighter working to battle the flames.
HKFSD raised the incident to a Level 5 alarm, the highest danger classification in the city, at 18:22.
More than 24 hours after the fire began, new videos from the city shows that smoke and some fires remain active in parts of the complex.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee says the fire at all seven buildings is now “basically under control” but rescue efforts are still ongoing.
Meanwhile the death toll has risen to 75 people, local media cite the Hong Kong fire department as saying.