The People's Liberation Army's Hong Kong Garrison will carry out orders and fulfill its duties in accordance with the law to safeguard Hong Kong, a mainland defense spokesman said on Thursday.

At a regular news conference, Jiang Bin, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks when asked whether the PLA garrison planned to offer assistance after a deadly fire broke out in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

He expressed deep condolences over the victims, including the firefighter who lost his life in the line of duty, and extended sincere sympathies to the families of the deceased and those affected by the disaster.

A fire broke out in Wang Fuk Court, a residential area in Tai Po of Hong Kong, on Wednesday afternoon, leaving 55 people dead by Thursday afternoon, the city's police said, according to Xinhua News Agency.