TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —  A fire at a Hsinchu apartment complex on Sunday (May 26) led to the evacuation of 351 residents and the deaths of two firefighters.

The blaze started on the 28th floor of a building on Ciyun Road in Hsinchu. The fire department worked through the evening and the next day to evacuate residents trapped on the upper floors, with the last few brought to safety by 1:10 p.m. on Monday (May 27).

A video of the dramatic rescue scene was shared online. It showed smoke filling the apartments and hallways before residents accessed a balcony and rooftop, where a crane later lifted them to safety, per LTN.

Based on the resident’s video, thick black smoke made breathing difficult, and one person said he used fire extinguishers to little avail. Residents sought safety on the roof, with smoke continuing upwards, but all were rescued in the end.

Two veteran firefighters, Lee Yung-chen (李詠真) and Chou Li-hsin (周立鑫), died while entering the buildings to assist in the rescue effort as their oxygen ran out. They were later discovered without vital signs in a stairwell, per LTN.