Photo: EPA
One of the most severe fires in Hong Kong’s modern history has torn through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po, sending the city into panic and heavy smoke, Reuters reports.
The blaze started at around 2:51 p.m. local time. Initially classified as a level-one fire, it was upgraded to the maximum level five in less than four hours. Flames engulfed seven to eight high-rise towers, each more than 30 stories tall. Strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly.
At least 44 people have been confirmed dead so far. Another 279 are missing, a number police say may increase. More than 50 people were injured, most in critical condition. Around 900 residents were evacuated.
More than 800 firefighters and 140 emergency vehicles were deployed — the largest mobilization of the service in decades.
Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have started on external bamboo scaffolding that wrapped the buildings undergoing renovation. The blaze quickly consumed the scaffolding, plastic safety netting, and other highly flammable materials.
Experts say the speed of the fire’s spread was “exceptionally high” and did not align with safety standards.
Police have detained three workers believed to be linked to improper storage of construction materials that may have contributed to the disaster.
Hong Kong has declared a period of mourning. Local electoral activities scheduled for early December have been suspended. Authorities have promised a full and transparent investigation, along with stricter safety rules for construction sites near residential areas.
It is the city’s deadliest fire in more than 60 years.
A blaze on 2 August 1962 in the Sham Shui Po district of Kowloon also killed 44 people. Earlier, on 22 September 1948, a fire at the Wing On Company warehouse claimed 176 lives. The deadliest fire in Hong Kong’s history occurred at the Happy Valley racecourse in 1918, killing more than 600 people.
