Skepticism is certainly warranted, but it makes sense at this point. It'll take some time to figure out who is hurt and how badly. While the fire is blazing and threatening the entire city, the focus will likely be on the response and finding those people - not counting them and publishing the data.
The note in the video stated that there were "no casualties reported yet", the keyword being "yet", so any comment that this was 'laughable' is totally inappropriate. The statement that the 'Chinese media' made was both reasonable and appropriate, at this time.
There are videos of fairly orderly evacuations quite early in the blaze. So could be possible that all the occupants did have time to evacuate. It seems to have been a cladding fire with early warning so minimal or no casualties is possible.
But there is only speculation at the moment. It doesn't need to be said that evacuating from top floors can take quite some time and can be problematic for those less able. And if the emergency services entered and ascended then it could be quite bad.
Yes, a fire with this much visible external flames and smoke going straight up, I would suspect that this is indeed a cladding fire. If that's true, then the structural integrity of the building is probably not at risk. It also means that the exit routes, i.e. staircases, should have been open and safe for the people who evacuated the building.
Updated story with some newer video. Says it's been extinguished and it burned several floors. Link Still no injuries reported. It does look like it was able to get deeper than just the cladding.
Another flammable cladding fire of the same type as experienced in Dubai, Melbourne, and other places. This will be a continuing issue around the world. Every time there is a fire of this type, there are renewed promises by governments that this is a priority.
Changsha is the city I visited when I spent 3 weeks in China.
I'm wondering if anyone I met is personally affected.
Thinking about reaching out - which is not easy.
