In Hong Kong, at least 55 dead in the worst fire in decades
In Hong Kong, at least 55 people have died in what is the worst fire the Asian financial hub has experienced in decades. Emergency services continued battling the flames on Thursday while searching for over 250 missing persons in a complex of skyscrapers devastated by the fire.
As of midday, firefighters reported that the blaze had been extinguished in four of the seven affected towers and was under control in three others, raising the death toll to 55 from 44 previously. Among the victims, 51 died in the fire, while four succumbed in the hospital.
An impressive outpouring of solidarity emerged spontaneously around the Wang Fuk Court complex, a group of eight 31-story buildings undergoing renovations, as noted by AFP journalists. "It’s really touching. The spirit of Hong Kong is that when someone is in trouble, everyone comes to support them," said Stone Ngai, 38, one of the organizers of an improvised aid station.
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, mentioned early Thursday that 279 individuals were still unaccounted for. However, emergency services later indicated they had located some of the missing persons.
Police are investigating how the skyscrapers became engulfed in massive flames on Wednesday, producing a significant black cloud over one of the world’s most densely populated territories. Authorities announced the arrest of three men following the discovery of flammable materials abandoned during maintenance work that allowed the fire to "spread rapidly." They are suspected of "gross negligence," according to police.
After fighting the fire throughout the night, firefighters were spraying the buildings that continued to smolder on Thursday. The fire broke out on Wednesday just before 3 PM (07:00 GMT) in the Tai Po district in the northern part of the city. Likely fueled by bamboo scaffolding and synthetic materials used in the renovations, the fire quickly spread across seven of the eight towers in the complex opened in 1983, which includes 1,984 residences.
Over 1,200 personnel have been mobilized for the rescue operations, according to authorities in this special administrative region of China. One firefighter is among the 44 deceased. The Indonesian consulate also reported the deaths of two nationals, who were domestic workers.
A government spokesperson informed AFP that 61 individuals remained hospitalized, including 15 in critical condition. Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the fire service, highlighted the challenges faced by rescue teams in extremely high temperatures, particularly in accessing certain floors.
"The fire spread so quickly. I saw a fire hose trying to save several buildings, and I found it far too slow," recounted a man named Suen. "We knocked on doors, we banged, we alerted neighbors, telling them to evacuate… That’s how we experienced the situation," he added.
Mr. Yuen, 65, who has lived there for over 40 years, explained that many of his neighbors were elderly and had limited mobility. "Some people were unaware there was a fire and had to be notified by phone by their neighbors," he said. "I am devastated!"
More than 900 evacuees were welcomed into temporary shelters, where volunteers provided emotional support and blankets. People arrived throughout the night to report missing family members, unable to reach them. Some sat, dazed, staring with red eyes at the screens of their mobile phones, hoping for news of their loved ones.
John Lee announced on Thursday that all major renovation sites would be inspected. Fires have long been a scourge in Hong Kong, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. Strengthened safety measures in recent decades have made them less frequent.
However, the risk is heightened due to Hong Kong’s population of 7.5 million, which has an average density of over 7,100 people per square kilometer, with some urban areas having densities up to three times higher. With the territory's constraints, recent decades have seen a surge in the construction of towers that can exceed 50 stories.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to the victims' families and called for all measures to be taken "to extinguish the fire and minimize human and material losses," according to state broadcaster CCTV.
AFP
