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How Hong Kong mega housing complex was engulfed in flames, killing 36, raising major questions
Deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades started mid-afternoon, was raging late into the night, with authorities saying it's "very challenging for firefighters"
A devastating fire claimed at least 36 lives in a high-rise residential complex known as Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong on Wednesday; and the fire was burning for hours.
Where in Hong Kong did the fire occur?
The complex is in the Tai Po district, a suburban area located in the New Territories, near the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen. The blaze spread across seven high-rise buildings in the complex. Wang Fuk Court is a substantial housing estate, consisting of eight towers with nearly 2,000 flats. Records indicate that the complex houses approximately 4,800 people. The incident marks the city's worst blaze in years.
How much damage did the Wang Fuk Court fire cause?
The fire resulted in the death of 36 people, according to Hong Kong leader John Lee. The victims included a 37-year-old firefighter who died in the line of duty. Also, 29 people were injured, of whom six were in critical condition and 11 were categorised as serious.
The fire, the deadliest in Hong Kong in decades, started mid-afternoon and was raging late into the night, with authorities confirming that conditions remained "very challenging for firefighters". The authorities upgraded the alarm to Level 5, the highest level of severity. This meant it's at par with the November 1996 commercial building fire in Kowloon that resulted in 41 deaths.
How the fire started: Bamboo scaffolding to blame?
The exact cause is not yet known, but the authorities have identified the manner and expanse of the fire's spread.
The housing complex was reportedly undergoing maintenance, and the fire was sparked on one of the bamboo scaffoldings, officials said. Flames then engulfed the scaffolding and construction netting surrounding several apartment blocks in Wang Fuk Court.
It moved inside the structure and also to nearby buildings as the spread was likely aided by windy conditions and debris.
Firefighting and rescue operations faced extreme difficulty, according to Derek Armstrong Chan, the deputy director of fire service operations. He explained that the temperature inside the buildings was “very high”, making it difficult for personnel to enter and conduct rescue operations upstairs. This was made worse by sections of charred scaffolding and debris falling down from the burning apartment blocks.
How rescue was carried out
Authorities deployed hundreds of firefighters, police officers, and paramedics, pressing into service 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances. Evacuation efforts were extensive, with about 700 people taken to temporary shelters. Authorities established a casualty hotline and opened two temporary shelters in nearby community centers.
Sections of a nearby highway were closed to facilitate the massive firefighting operation.
A police officer at a temporary shelter noted that residents were still arriving late into the night to report missing family members, making the exact number of unaccounted-for individuals unclear.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the victims, specifically mentioning the firefighter who died in the line of duty. Hong Kong's city leader, John Lee, stated he was “deeply saddened” and assured that all government departments were mobilised to assist residents affected by the fire.
How residents found out, coped
A 57-year-old resident, identified only by the last name So, described the fire as “heartbreaking”. Another identified as Yuen, 65, highlighted a major difficulty — many of his neighbors were elderly and could not move fast. Worse, due to the ongoing maintenance, some residents had closed their windows, meaning they did not realize there was a fire until neighbours called them on the phone.
An apartment owner stated he was so fearful he "dare not leave" the scene until the fire was fully controlled. One resident, surnamed Wu, simply said he had “given up thinking about my property”.
Questions over rules, hazards after Hong Kong fire
The spread of the fire along the scaffolding amped up safety concerns. The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims expressed "deep concern" over scaffolding-related fires. The association noted that similar incidents have occurred frequently in recent months, specifically citing similar blazes in April, May, and October.
Bamboo scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong at building construction and renovation projects. However, because of growing safety concerns, the government had announced plans earlier this year to start phasing out the use of bamboo scaffolding for public projects.
Deadly fires were once a regular tragedy in densely populated Hong Kong, but safety measures have generally been ramped up in recent decades, making such catastrophic fires less commonplace.
(with inputs from PTI, AP, AFP)
