ANKARA

Firefighters are battling a major fire that broke out Saturday afternoon at the Chinachem Tower in Hong Kong's Central Business District, injuring three people, local media reported.

Police said the severity of the fire was upgraded within minutes as flames spread rapidly, the South China Morning Post reported.

Initial reports said three people were trapped inside a lift when the fire broke out. Emergency crews rescued them, and two of the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The blaze forced temporary road closures and caused major disruption in one of Hong Kong’s busiest commercial areas.