Hong Kong Blaze Kills At Least 83; Dozens Missing As Massive Housing Complex Fire Prompts Criminal Probe | World News

HONG KONG: At least 83 people have died and more than 100 have been injured so far after a massive fire ripped through a large public housing complex in Hong Kong, making it one of the city’s deadliest disasters in decades, CNN reported, citing local officials and Hong Kong media. The fire, which broke out at the Wang Fuk Court mansion in the Tai Po district on Wednesday afternoon, continued to burn into Thursday, according to CNN, and firefighters warned that extreme heat and falling debris were seriously hampering rescue efforts. The names of more than 200 residents are still unknown, CNN reported, citing Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK.

Firefighters rescued a man alive from the 16th floor on Thursday evening, although parts of the complex continued to smolder 24 hours after the fire started. The complex, home to more than 4,000 residents, many of them elderly, was undergoing renovation and was completely covered in bamboo scaffolding and safety nets, a traditional construction method widely used in Hong Kong. Authorities are now investigating whether flammable materials used in the renovation, including polystyrene sheets covering the windows, accelerated the fire’s spread, CNN reported.

Hong Kong Police arrested three people linked to the renovation project on suspicion of “gross negligence” on Thursday. Officials said preliminary findings showed that polystyrene sheets and other construction materials such as mesh and canvas did not meet safety standards, CNN reported.
“These polystyrene sheets are extremely flammable and fire spreads very quickly,” Fire Services Director Andy Yeung said, CNN reported, adding that their presence in residential windows was “unusual” and had been referred to police for further investigation.

The fire started shortly before 3pm on Wednesday (local time) at Wang Cheong House, a 32-storey tower on the eight-block site. By the time emergency crews arrived on scene, the scaffolding had already been engulfed and flames spread from tower to tower, turning the incident into a multi-building disaster that affected at least seven of eight blocks, CNN reported.

More than 800 firefighters were deployed, supported by 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances. A 37-year-old firefighter, identified as Ho Wai-ho, died from injuries sustained during efforts to control the fire. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said most building fires were “basically under control” as of Thursday evening, but the full extent of the damage remained unclear.

Authorities are investigating why surrounding towers were not evacuated faster as the fire spread. Hundreds of people have been displaced in the city, which already has a serious housing shortage. The government opened temporary shelters and announced a “one social worker per household” policy to provide personalized assistance to affected families, CNN reported.

Visibly shaken residents gathered near the property on Thursday to assess the damage. It is believed to be the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since the Second World War. The previous worst peacetime fire was the 1996 Garley Building fire, which killed 41 people. The disaster triggered intense scrutiny of Hong Kong’s long reliance on bamboo scaffolding, valued for its flexibility but also flammable and weatherproof.

The city’s Development Bureau recently mandated that at least half of all new public projects use metal scaffolding, prompting mixed reactions. A citywide inspection of scaffolding and construction materials in renovation sites was ordered. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Meanwhile, according to Xinhua, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to the victims of the Wang Fuk Trial tragedy. He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and those affected by the incident and called for maximum efforts to extinguish the fire and reduce the loss of life and property. According to Xinhua, Xi monitored the situation closely and requested regular updates on rescue operations and casualties, and instructed the director of the Hong Kong Government Liaison Office to convey his condolences and support to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also stated that he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and expressed his condolences to the families of the dead and the injured. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee stated that he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and expressed his condolences to the families of the dead and the injured.