Approximately 700 residents were forced to evacuate to temporary shelters.

The fire, which started in the afternoon and escalated to the city’s highest level 5 alarm, spread quickly along bamboo scaffolding and construction netting surrounding the buildings.

The complex consisted of eight blocks with nearly 4,800 residents.

Firefighters battled the flames with 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances, as video footage showed intense smoke and fire pouring from multiple apartments.

One firefighter died, and another was treated for heat exhaustion. Authorities noted that many of those trapped were elderly, reports said.

Residents left homeless have been accommodated in temporary shelters.

The tragedy has heightened safety concerns about the use of bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong construction projects.

District officials worked through the night to assist families left without homes.

Tai Po, a generally quiet suburban area near the border with Shenzhen, has been shaken by one of its deadliest residential fires in recent years.

The disaster has renewed scrutiny of bamboo scaffolding, still widely used in Hong Kong despite long-standing safety concerns.

The government announced earlier this year that the material would be phased out for public projects, an effort that now carries tragic urgency.

As dawn approached, firefighters were still racing to extinguish the final pockets of flame, and authorities warned that the death toll could rise as searches continued.