Watch the video: Hong Kong skyscraper catches fire.
STORY: Almost like a flaming torch, a high-rise building in Hong Kong could be seen ablaze early Friday morning. Several floors of the building burned and glowing parts of bamboo scaffolding fell down. The high-rise was part of a redevelopment project in the Tsim Sha Tsui district. However, the inferno was under control relatively quickly, as the rescue workers in Hong Kong confirmed on Friday. Keung Sai-Ming, Deputy Chief of Fire Department: “The fire was surrounded at 7:31 a.m. this morning and brought under control at 8:08 a.m. By half past eight, the flames were largely extinguished. During the operation, a total of 170 people were rescued with the help of the Fire brigade and police evacuated. The investigation into the cause of the fire on the construction site is still ongoing.” According to the fire brigade, around 250 officers were involved in the extinguishing work, also with support from the air. There are currently no reports of injuries and a balance of the damage. According to the company’s website, the skyscraper was a 42-storey project by the Empire Group, which was to house a hotel, among other things.