Philippine authorities have confirmed that 19 Filipino nationals caught in the devastating Level 5 fire that ripped through a Hong Kong residential complex are safe and have been rescued.
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Py Caunan disclosed the information on Thursday, offering a point of relief amid one of the city’s worst blazes in decades.
“Nineteen are considered rescued and safe,” Caunan stated, confirming the welfare of the affected Filipinos following the massive inferno in the TaiPo district.
The announcement comes as rescue and recovery efforts continue at the scene. The high-rise fire has tragically claimed at least 44 lives, with hundreds more reported missing, according to local authorities.
Earlier reports from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had indicated that they had not received any confirmed reports of Filipino casualties, a statement now solidified by the OWWA’s confirmation that the group of 19 individuals is out of harm’s way.
The blaze, which required a Level 5 response—the highest level in Hong Kong’s emergency system—has prompted an extensive investigation, with officials confirming that the catastrophic fire may continue to burn until Thursday evening.