President Xi Jinping expressed condolences on Wednesday for the victims of a major fire at a residential area in the Tai Po area of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and for the firefighter who died in the line of duty.

Xi extended his sympathies to the families of the victims and those affected by the disaster, and called for all-out efforts to put out the blaze and minimize the casualties and losses.

The fire broke out in several residential buildings at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, New Territories, on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in 36 fatalities as of midnight.

Following the incident, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, promptly learned further information about the fire rescue efforts and the casualties.

He urged the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR to support the SAR government in making every effort to put out the fire, carry out search and rescue operations, treat the injured, and provide post-disaster support.

He also demanded that relevant departments and localities provide necessary assistance to the SAR government to strive to minimize the casualties and losses.

In response, both offices said they would closely monitor rescue efforts, maintain communication with the SAR government, and coordinate with relevant departments to provide support.

The SAR government activated its emergency rescue mechanism, and rescue operations were underway.

After visiting the injured at Prince of Wales Hospital at night, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the blaze has so far caused 36 deaths, with 279 people reported missing. Twenty-nine people remain hospitalized, seven of whom are in critical condition.

Among the dead was 37-year-old firefighter Ho Wai-ho. 

Lee expressed his deep condolences to the deceased, and extended his heartfelt sympathies to the victims’ families and the injured. He said the SAR government will provide all possible support.

Many residents were reported to have been trapped in their homes, with seven out of the total eight buildings on the residential estate on fire, and thick smoke visible from afar. The fire continued to escalate into the night, with falling debris and explosions at the scene.

The blaze, which started around 2:51 pm, was upgraded to a No 4 alarm at 3:34 pm, and it was further upgraded to a No 5 alarm, the second highest, at 6:22 pm.

Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983 and currently under renovation, consists of eight buildings with nearly 2,000 residential units.

Responding to the second No 5 fire this century and the first in 17 years, the Fire Services Department dispatched 767 personnel for the operation. At least 140 fire engines, 60 ambulances, eight fire hoses and seven turntable ladders were mobilized, along with 22 search and rescue teams responding to distress calls. Additionally, around 400 police officers helped with evacuation, and cordoning off the area.

A resident surnamed Chan, living on the sixth floor of one of the affected buildings, said he noticed smoke around 2 pm and immediately evacuated with his family.

“The most important thing is that we saved our lives. I’ve heard that some people living on the 20th floor and above couldn’t get out. I haven’t been able to get in touch with some friends and neighbors from the same estate,” he said.

Another resident, surnamed Yau, whose unit was directly affected, was out when the fire started and returned around 4:30 pm after being notified.

“Definitely, there is loss. I don’t even want to talk about it,” he said when asked about property damage.

“The only silver lining is that my wife and I were out, so no one was at home. If money was burned, so be it. It’s not just me, everyone is feeling helpless in this situation.”

Yau and his family were considering staying at the nearby Sheng Kung Hui Yuen Chen Maun Chen Primary School for the night. “It might be a bit cold there,” he added.

A 75-year-old woman surnamed Ho was inside her residence on the 28th floor when the fire broke out. She left the building with her 82-year-old husband after being alerted by a friend across the street.

The couple, both on medication, expressed concerns that they hadn’t taken their medicine, believing they would be away only briefly.

Contact the writers at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn