On Wednesday, dozens of people were stranded on the rooftop of a Hong Kong building after a massive fire broke out, forcing firefighters to hurry to rescue them and extinguish the inferno.

According to a government notification, the incident began in the early afternoon at the World Trade Centre on Gloucester Road in the city's famed Causeway Bay shopping district. The 38-story structure is divided into offices and a shopping center.

According to police, at least 12 people were sent to a hospital for treatment.

Firefighters used an extension ladder to rescue many people trapped on the lower floors. According to the local South China Morning Post newspaper, other people were stuck in mall restaurants.

Additionally, nearly a hundred people had evacuated to the top of the structure to await rescue. Many of them later exited the facility, and several of them covered their noses and mouths but appeared to be uninjured.

According to police notice, the fire was elevated to a level three emergency. On a scale of one to five, with five being the most severe, fires are classified. Authorities reported that the fire was under control at 3:06 p.m.

Two breathing apparatus teams and two water jets have been dispatched to assist in putting out the fire, police added.