Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades kills 94, leaves others missing

Hong Kong,

Firefighters examined the last of the housing estate units destroyed by Hong Kong’s biggest fire in decades on Friday, with the death toll increasing to at least 94 overnight and dozens more missing.

Authorities said the fire had been restricted to four of the enormous complex’s almost 2,000 units, more than 36 hours after it broke out on the eight-building estate.

Firefighters will perform search and rescue operations in response to the remaining 25 requests for assistance, as well as break into all flats on the estate by 9 am (0100 GMT), according to deputy director of fire services Derek Armstrong Chan.

More than 50 individuals remained hospitalised, with 12 in critical and 28 in serious condition.  Scores are still missing, although the actual number hasn’t been updated since early Thursday.

“The fire spread quite quickly.” I saw one hose trying to save several buildings, and I thought it was way too slow,” claimed a man named Suen.

An AFP reporter on the scene on Friday said that the fire at Wang Fuk Court had diminished dramatically, but sparks and thick smoke continued to emerge from the structure.

Firefighters proceeded to douse the building with water to keep it cool and prevent embers from reigniting.

Authorities have initiated an investigation into what caused the fire, the worst in the financial capital in over 80 years, which included the presence of bamboo scaffolding and plastic mesh wrapped around the structures during a major restoration.

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption bureau announced Thursday that it has opened an investigation into refurbishment work at the complex, only hours after police arrested three workers on suspicion of recklessly leaving foam packaging at the fire site.

Residents of Wang Fuk Court, in Hong Kong’s northern district of Tai Po, told AFP that they did not hear any fire alarms and had to go door-to-door to warn neighbours about the risk.

“Ringing doorbells, knocking on doors, alerting the neighbours, telling them to leave—that’s what the situation was like,” Suen, the homeowner, explained.

• “Can’t describe it.” -

Among the 94 individuals reported dead as of 6:00 am local time (22:00 GMT Thursday), one was a 37-year-old firefighter, and two were Indonesians working as migrant domestic helpers.

It is Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948, when an explosion and subsequent fire killed at least 135 people.

However, the death toll could grow further, with municipal leader John Lee reporting in the early hours of Thursday that 279 people were missing.

Firefighters later stated that they had made contact with some of the individuals, and authorities have not updated the figure since.

On Thursday, police at a nearby community centre hoping to identify victims revealed images of remains recovered from the fire to relatives looking for missing loved ones.

“If the faces are unrecognisable, there are personal items for people to identify,” explained a woman called Cheung who was hunting for family.

“I can’t express how I feel.  “There were children,” she explained.

Deadly fires were long a regular plague in densely populated Hong Kong, particularly in poorer neighbourhoods, but better safety precautions have made them far less prevalent.

Hong Kong authorities will quickly check all housing estates undergoing substantial repairs following the accident, according to city leader Lee on Thursday.

Eric Chan, the city’s second-in-command, told a news conference Thursday that it was “imperative to expedite the full transition to metal scaffolding”.

Hong Kong’s government stated it was establishing a HK$300 million (38.5 million US dollars) fund to assist fire victims.

City officials said they had created nine shelters and were putting together temporary housing and emergency cash for people who had lost their homes.

Activities related to Hong Kong’s legislative elections, which are scheduled for December 7, have been suspended.

• Scenes depicting Hell –

Sections of charred scaffolding collapsed from the flaming apartment complexes in horrific sights late Wednesday, as flames inside apartments occasionally belched out through windows into an orange-lit night sky.

According to fire officials, the wind and floating debris likely caused the fire to spread from one building to another.

Some inhabitants from surrounding blocks who had been evacuated as a precaution were permitted to return home on Thursday afternoon.

Crowds affected by the tragedy gathered near the complex to coordinate supplies for displaced residents and firefighters as part of a spontaneous effort in a city with some of the world’s most densely packed and tallest residential buildings.

Volunteers donated clothes and lunchboxes at a nearby mall’s open-air podium, and a few people handed out flyers with information about missing people.

“It’s truly touching,” said Stone Ngai, 38, one of the people organising an impromptu aid station.

“The spirit of the Hong Kong people is that when someone is in need, everyone helps...  It demonstrates that Hong Kong residents are full of love.”