Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Becomes One of City's Deadliest
Firefighters in Hong Kong continued their desperate battle against a massive blaze at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po for the second consecutive day on Thursday, as the death toll climbed to a devastating 65 people with nearly 300 residents still unaccounted for. The tragic incident has become one of Hong Kong's worst fire disasters in decades.
Rescue Operations Amid Dangerous Conditions
Rescue teams faced extremely challenging conditions as they moved through dark, charred corridors using flashlights, carefully checking each apartment in the affected towers. Thick smoke and pockets of flame remained visible throughout Thursday, hampering rescue efforts at the residential complex.
Wong Ka Wing, deputy director of fire services, described the difficult conditions facing rescuers. "Our teams are battling high temperatures and carefully going up floor by floor," he stated, adding that authorities "don't rule out rescuing more injured people" as the operation continues.
Mass Evacuation and Casualty Figures
The scale of the disaster became increasingly apparent as officials released updated figures. Around 900 residents were evacuated overnight to temporary shelters, while the injured count reached 70 people. Tragically, one firefighter was among those who lost their lives in the incident.
Hong Kong leader John Lee confirmed that authorities had lost contact with 279 residents, though he did not provide an updated figure on how many might still be trapped during his Thursday press briefing.
Chaotic Escape Attempts and Survivor Accounts
Survivors recounted terrifying moments as they attempted to escape the rapidly spreading flames. Lawrence Lee described to AP how his wife became trapped by the intense smoke. "The corridor and stairs were all filled with smoke... so she had no choice but to go back to the flat," he said, expressing fear that she might still be inside.
Another resident, 75-year-old Winter Chung, shared their harrowing experience of seeing sparks while escaping the previous afternoon. "I couldn't sleep the entire night," the elderly resident told AP, reflecting the trauma experienced by survivors.
Investigation Reveals Safety Violations
In a significant development, police arrested three men - including directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction & Engineering Company - on suspicion of manslaughter. The construction firm was involved in renovation work at the complex.
Senior superintendent Eileen Chung revealed that investigators had "reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent." Police officers searched the company's office, seizing boxes of documents as part of their investigation.
Authorities discovered multiple safety concerns, including materials on exterior walls that may not have met fire-resistance standards. Police also found flammable Styrofoam near elevator lobbies in one tower, believed to have been installed by the construction company.
Scaffolding and Construction Materials Under Scrutiny
The fire is believed to have started in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting on Wednesday afternoon before racing up the exterior of a 32-storey block. The flames eventually spread to seven of the estate's eight towers, demonstrating the rapid progression that caught many residents by surprise.
By Thursday afternoon, fires in four buildings had been extinguished, while three remained under control. The Wang Fuk Court estate, built in the 1980s and home to approximately 4,600 residents, had been undergoing major renovation at the time of the incident.
A fire safety expert quoted by AP described the rapid multi-building spread as "quite shocking," noting that regulations are specifically designed to prevent fires from jumping between towers. The expert suggested that materials found on-site might explain the unusual speed of the fire's progression.
Government Response and Broader Implications
In response to the tragedy, Hong Kong leader John Lee announced that the government would consult industry stakeholders on shifting from bamboo to metal scaffolding. He also pledged to immediately inspect all housing estates currently undergoing renovation across the city.
Adding another layer to the investigation, Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has launched a separate probe into the renovation project, according to BBC reports.
This devastating blaze has now surpassed the 1996 Kowloon fire that killed 41 people, making it Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades. The incident has raised serious questions about building safety standards and construction practices in the densely populated city.
