Fire authorities in Hong Kong are close to concluding search and rescue operations following a major fire at a high-rise residential complex that resulted in at least 94 fatalities. The Fire Services Department of Hong Kong reported that over 70 individuals, including 11 firefighters, were injured in addition to the confirmed deaths, marking one of the deadliest fires in the city’s recent history. The fire, which occurred at the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po district, has left rescuers scouring the charred towers with flashlights as smoke continues to emanate from certain windows.
Firefighters are still attending to a few remaining apartments and are diligently inspecting all units within the seven towers to ensure there are no further casualties. Officials anticipate fully extinguishing the blaze in the next few hours. Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the Fire Services Department, stated that the firefighting operation is nearing completion, with efforts focused on preventing any potential flare-ups of debris and embers.
The exact number of individuals missing or trapped remains unclear, with reports indicating that contact was lost with 279 people early Thursday. Authorities have not provided updates on the status of the missing individuals or the number of people still inside the affected buildings. Video footage shows rescue teams navigating through darkened apartments, with pockets of orange flames visible in some windows despite the overall devastation of the complex.
Firefighters have been battling the blaze since Wednesday afternoon, believed to have originated in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting before spreading across seven out of the eight buildings in the complex. Rescue teams are navigating through challenging conditions, meticulously searching each floor for survivors. One firefighter was among the casualties, and approximately 900 individuals were evacuated to temporary shelters as a precaution.
The arrest of three individuals linked to a construction company on suspicion of manslaughter has raised questions about the potential negligence in ensuring fire safety standards. The police have conducted searches and seized evidence from the office of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, the firm responsible for renovations at the complex. Authorities suspect that non-compliant materials on the building’s exterior walls contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
The fire incident has prompted scrutiny of the safety practices surrounding bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong, a common feature in construction projects. The housing complex, housing nearly 4,800 residents across eight buildings, had been undergoing extensive renovations before the tragic fire. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences for the lives lost and called for measures to reduce casualties and damages. This incident ranks as one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires in recent memory, with parallels drawn to a tragic fire in 1996 that claimed 41 lives in Kowloon.