Deadly fire at Hong Kong high-rise housing estate kills dozens, dozens missing

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

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Image Source: Reuters

A catastrophic fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least 55 people dead and hundreds unaccounted for. The blaze began around 14:51 local time and quickly engulfed seven of the estate’s eight tower blocks, which together contain nearly 2,000 apartments housing roughly 4,600 residents.

Firefighters described the inferno as the most severe in decades, escalating to a level-five alarm by early evening the highest possible classification as thick smoke and intense heat hampered rescue efforts. Many residents remain missing or unreachable, and dozens are reported injured, some seriously.

Officials believe the fire likely originated on the building’s exterior, where renovation work had been underway. At the time of the blaze the towers were covered with bamboo scaffolding and green netting common materials in Hong Kong construction that burn easily. Additional concerns arose over polystyrene insulation around windows that may have fueled the flames once the fire spread.

In connection with the disaster, authorities detained three men two directors and an engineering consultant from the construction firm overseeing the renovations on suspicion of manslaughter. Investigators allege gross negligence and possible use of unsafe materials contributing to the rapid spread of fire.

Emergency shelters have been opened to house hundreds of displaced residents. Meanwhile local and national leaders have called for a thorough investigation and mandatory safety audits of other buildings undergoing renovation to prevent similar tragedies.