UPDATE 2 - Fire at Hong Kong housing estate kills at least 13, injures 16

UPDATES WITH LATEST DEATH TOLL; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - At least 13 people, including a firefighter, died while 16 others were injured in Hong Kong on Wednesday when a major fire broke out at a housing estate.

Of the 28 people found injured at the scene, nine of them were declared dead immediately, while another four died later in the hospital, according to the South China Morning Post.

Six of the injured are in critical condition.

Flames quickly spread across bamboo scaffolding at the estate to all eight blocks of it in the Tai Po neighborhood.

Eight blocks of the estate, called Wang Fuk Court, includes more than 1,900 flats.

The police were notified around 2 pm local time (0600GMT).

The fire department raised the fire alarm to the second-highest level, No. 4, by 3.34 pm local time (0734GMT) and finally to the highest level at 6.22 pm (1022GMT).

According to police, several other people are still trapped in the building where the fire started.

Rescue operations continue.