Firemen work to rescue people from the 38-storey World Trade Centre building, which suffered an electrical fire trapping hundreds on the rooftop, in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong SAR on December 15, 2021. Photo: AFP

A fire broke out at the World Trade Centre in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on Wednesday, with plumes of smoke billowing from the building and trapping more than 350 people and causing one in a semi-conscious state, according to the local government's release and local media reports.  As of press time, nearly 1,200 people have been evacuated and all have been rescued, TVB News reported. 

Eight persons felt unwell. Four persons were sent to Queen Mary Hospital for treatment. Three persons were sent to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment. One person was sent to Ruttonjee Hospital for treatment, according to the press release by HKSAR government.  

Reports said the building was undergoing renovation work, and it is suspected that the fire broke out inside an electrical switch room on the first floor of the shopping mall at noon. Heavy smoke poured from cracks in the outer wall scaffolding. At about 1pm, the fire alarm was raised to level three and several ambulances arrived to assist.

The cause of the fire is still unknown as of the press time. 

According to the Oriental Daily News, when the fire broke out, the center had many restaurants still open. Video circulated on social media platforms shows that suddenly there was smoke in the dining room and the lights soon went off. Seeing this, diners left the venue. The area near the scene is filled with smoke.

Phone calls at the center cannot be answered for the moment. Netizens on Chinese Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo expressed their concerns and hope that the trapped people and firefighters are safe.

Global Times