At least 44 deceased and hundreds unaccounted for after blaze consumes Hong Kong high-rise buildings

At least 44 individuals have lost their lives in a massive fire that has consumed several high-rise buildings in the Tai Po area of Hong Kong.

Reports indicate that some residents were trapped inside the building, with authorities stating that 279 people remain unaccounted for.

Over 760 firefighters responded to combat the fire on Wednesday afternoon, with images depicting flames and dense grey smoke rising from the towers, overshadowing the cityscape.

Three males have been taken into custody on suspicion of manslaughter related to the incident, as reported by local media, and an inquiry has been initiated.

The fire ignited at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) and was rated as a level five – the most severe – by the fire department by 18:22.

While the cause remains undetermined, it is suspected that the flames spread rapidly through the bamboo scaffolding enveloping the buildings, which were under renovation.

Of those hospitalized, 45 are in critical condition. The injured have been transported to hospitals across various districts.

Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, aged 37, was among the deceased in the fire. He was discovered collapsed at the scene approximately 30 minutes after contact was lost.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the departed and my heartfelt sympathies to their families and the injured. We will offer all possible assistance,” he stated.

The intense heat from the fire, along with hazardous debris, has hindered rescue operations.

“The temperature inside the affected buildings is extremely high, which makes it quite challenging for us to enter… and ascend to conduct firefighting and rescue efforts,” commented Derek Armstrong Chan, the deputy director of fire services.

The fire has not yet been brought under control, and officials have expressed uncertainty regarding when it will be extinguished.

Wang Fuk Court, established in 1983, consists of eight tower blocks that house 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, as per a 2021 government census. Seven of the towers have been affected by the fire.

Some residents have informed local media that the fire alarms failed to activate, and when the elevators ceased to function, they faced difficulties escaping. A local councillor noted that many residents of Wang Fuk Court are elderly.

Additionally, there were reports on Wednesday night of explosions being heard from inside the buildings, and fire hoses struggled to reach the upper floors of the 31-storey towers.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the rapid spread of the fire raises suspicions, as quoted by Hong Kong’s security secretary, Chris Tang, in local media. This included the utilization of polystyrene to seal windows.

Authorities have also evacuated surrounding buildings and established several temporary shelters. One of the shelters, located across the street from the residential complex, was deemed unsafe due to the ongoing fire, and evacuees were directed to another shelter located further away.

An officer at a temporary shelter informed the AFP news agency that it was uncertain how many individuals were unaccounted for as residents continued to arrive late into the night to report missing family members.

A large evacuation zone surrounds the fire, roads are closed, and over 30 bus routes have been redirected, according to Hong Kong’s Transport Department.

China’s President Xi Jinping has offered condolences to the victims and emphasized that all efforts should be undertaken to extinguish the fire and reduce the damages, as reported by state media.

The utilization of bamboo scaffolding is prevalent in Hong Kong, making it one of the last places globally to still adopt it in contemporary construction.

According to local media in March, the government’s development bureau has been attempting to eliminate its use, favoring metal scaffolding for safety reasons.

It has been 17 years since Hong Kong encountered a level five fire, when the Cornwall Court, built in 1962, was destroyed. Four individuals died in that incident.

Additional reporting by Tiffany Wertheimer.