A devastating apartment fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has claimed at least 55 lives with 279 people reported missing, prompting an outpouring of grief and support from Chinese-speaking K-pop stars and the global community.
K-Pop Community Rallies for Hong Kong
The tragedy, which occurred on Wednesday, moved several prominent K-pop artists to action. Yuqi, the Chinese member of popular girl group (G)I-DLE, expressed her concern through social media on November 27, posting in Chinese: "I hope everyone is safe."
Jackson Wang, the Hong Kong-born member of GOT7, took a more proactive approach by sharing emergency shelter locations on his social media platforms. He urged his massive following to "share this post" to ensure that "all people and animals in need can receive proper relief."
How Tradition Fueled the Tragedy
The fire erupted at 2:52 PM local time on Wednesday and spread with terrifying speed through the 31-story residential complex. The building was wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh netting for ongoing renovation work, which fire engineering experts identified as a critical factor in the disaster's severity.
Professor Rania Awaad Or from the University of Queensland confirmed that the bamboo scaffolding created a vertical pathway that allowed flames to race up the building's exterior, compromising fire containment systems. The situation was worsened by highly combustible Styrofoam boards installed in elevator windows, which Senior police superintendent Eileen Chung revealed violated fire safety regulations.
Three individuals, including construction company directors and an engineering consultant, were arrested on manslaughter charges amid allegations of gross negligence.
Historic Tragedy and Community Response
The Wang Fuk Court fire now stands as Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in over a century, surpassing even the 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse tragedy that killed over 600 people. Among the 55 confirmed fatalities was 37-year-old firefighter Ho Wai-ho, a nine-year veteran who lost contact with his team while battling the ground-floor inferno and was later found with severe burn injuries.
Meanwhile, the K-pop community demonstrated substantial financial support. Boy group RIIZE announced via Weibo that they donated 250,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately INR 27.3 lakh) to the Hong Kong Red Cross Society in the name of the group and their fandom BRIIZE. Their agency SM Entertainment separately contributed 1 million HKD (approximately INR 1.09 crore) to fire relief efforts.
Local Tai Po residents formed human chains throughout Wednesday night to deliver essential supplies including bottled water, food, and clothing to evacuees. Social media users praised the mobilization as "the spirit of Hongkongers," highlighting the community's resilience in the face of tragedy.
