At least 36 people were killed, and dozens were injured after a massive inferno engulfed a residential complex in Hong Kong, China.
Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department said reports of a fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po began coming in at 2:51 p.m. The severity of the fire increased rapidly, with a No. 3 alarm designated at 3:02 p.m., then a No. 4 alarm at 3:34 p.m., the third and second most severe ratings, respectively. It was finally upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, the most severe rating, at 6:22 p.m. The fire department reported 36 dead and 29 injured, while another 279 are missing, according to the South China Morning Post.
“Residents nearby are advised to stay indoors, close their doors and windows, and stay calm. Members of the public are also advised to avoid going to the area affected by the fire,” an alert from the Fire Services Department said.
One of the dead was identified as fireman Ho Wai-ho, 37, who was mourned by the director of Fire Services, Andy Yeung.
“Having been a member of the Fire Services Department for about nine years, Mr Ho’s performance was valiant. I am profoundly grieved at the loss of this dedicated and gallant fireman. All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade. On behalf of all our colleagues, I have offered the deepest condolences to his family,” he said in a statement.
The government opened several temporary shelters for those affected by the fire, where over 900 people took shelter. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent his personal condolences, and political parties suspended campaigning out of respect for the victims.
A total of 128 fire engines, 57 ambulances, 888 firefighters, and 400 police officers were reported at the scene, according to the South China Morning Post.
Zoie Cheng Kam-shan, business development director of the Hong Kong Pet Club, told the outlet that it deployed two pet ambulances to help retrieve pets trapped inside the complex.
“We estimate that every block has more than 10 animals of different species,” she said. “We have received over 70 reports, but are receiving more. So I estimate that there will be more than 100.”
Hours into the fire, residents and activists began sounding the alarm on issues that led to or exacerbated the fire. Fay Siu Sin-man, chief executive of the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, told the outlet that the bamboo scaffolding, a cheap but widespread material known to be highly flammable, had already been known to exacerbate fires throughout China, and has been linked to fires resulting in at least five casualties this year alone.
Residents told the outlet that the fire alarm hadn’t rung to alert them to the flame. Others complained about lax safety precautions by construction workers.
“I always see construction workers smoking, and they litter cigarette butts everywhere,” Kwong Pui-lun, a former chairman of Wang Fuk Court’s owners’ corporation and living in Wang Tao House, told the outlet, adding that the issue had been raised with the management company but had been ignored.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang also noted abnormalities, saying the rapid spread of the fire was suspicious.
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“We have found that on the relevant building walls, the netting and waterproof tarpaulin material, once burned, showed spreading of the flames faster than [they should on] regulated materials. This is unusual,” he said.
Hong Kong city head John Lee called the blaze a “catastrophe,” but said it was now “gradually under control” early on Thursday morning.
