Residents waved towels from their windows in a bid to attract the attention of rescuers, authorities have said.
Three men and two women have been killed during a fire in a largely residential building in Hong Kong. Another 27 people have been left injured. At least six of them are in serious condition and one is critical, Hong Kong’s hospital authority said.
Firefighters rushed to the New Lucky House in the Jordan neighborhood after being called at around 7.53am local time on Wednesday. The fire was extinguished by 9am local time, but police said people could still be heard calling for help from inside the 16-storey building.
People waved towels at their windows to call for help from rescuers, a local broadcaster said. The blaze is believed to have started at a gym on the first floor, local media added.
Around 150 people were evacuated to safety, the city’s government said. Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said authorities have been told to make an all-out effort to treat the injured and that different government departments are already investigating what caused the fire.
