Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Claims 44 Lives, Leaves Hundreds Homeless
A devastating fire swept through a residential complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least 44 people and leaving hundreds more injured or missing in one of the territory's deadliest residential blazes in recent years.
Panic and Desperation as Flames Engulf Buildings
The tragedy began around 2:50 PM on Wednesday at the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po, where eight high-rise towers containing approximately 2,000 apartments became engulfed in flames. Residents watched in horror as their homes disappeared behind walls of fire and smoke.
Local resident Shirley Chan expressed the collective heartbreak, stating she couldn't find words to describe the devastation. "Imagine a home -- gone, burnt. Anyone would be heartbroken," Chan told reporters, her voice filled with emotion.
The situation proved particularly dangerous for elderly residents who make up a significant portion of the complex's population. A 65-year-old man surnamed Yuen, who had lived there for over forty years, explained that many residents rely on wheelchairs or walkers and were caught unaware because windows were closed for maintenance work.
"Some people didn't know there was a fire and had to be told to evacuate via phone calls by neighbours," Yuen told AFP, describing his devastation at losing his home of decades.
Dramatic Rescue Operations Amid Extreme Conditions
Firefighters faced tremendous challenges battling the blaze due to extreme temperatures inside the buildings. Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Derek Armstrong Chan, confirmed the difficulties: "The temperatures inside the buildings concerned are very high, so it's quite difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs and conduct firefighting and rescue operations."
One couple, 74-year-old Tong Pingmoon and his wife, experienced the terror firsthand from their unit in Block 1. After initially choosing not to evacuate, they found themselves trapped as smoke thickened throughout their apartment.
"We hid in the bathroom, blocked the gap under the door with wet towels, switched on the ventilation fan and called for help," Tong recounted from a nearby school that had been converted into a shelter. Rescuers eventually reached them around 6 PM, with Tong describing the escape as happening in "pitch dark" conditions where they "wouldn't have made it if we had to head out by ourselves."
Investigation Points to Construction Materials
Authorities quickly identified the bamboo scaffolding surrounding the buildings for repair work as a major factor in the fire's rapid spread. The traditional construction material is highly combustible, and officials had previously warned about bamboo-related fire dangers after a similar incident last year.
By Thursday morning, police arrested three men in connection with the blaze, stating that flammable materials left behind during repair work helped the fire "spread rapidly beyond control."
The human cost continues to mount, with the death toll including a 37-year-old firefighter who lost contact with his team while battling the flames. Hundreds remain unaccounted for, though some have since been located safe.
The aftermath has left approximately 900 residents displaced, forced to seek temporary shelter as the community grapples with the scale of loss. Volunteer Logan Yeung, 29, who rushed to help, told AFP his "heart is tingling" from witnessing the devastation firsthand.
As investigations continue and recovery operations proceed, Hong Kong faces one of its most challenging humanitarian crises in recent memory, with a tight-knit community now confronting unimaginable loss and uncertainty about their future.
