The death toll rises to 65 and 279 missing in Hong Kong’s worst fire in 30 years.
Hong Kong, Nov 27 (EFE)
The fire that engulfed seven buildings in a Hong Kong residential complex has now left 65 dead, 70 hospitalized with injuries, including ten firefighters, and at least 279 missing, according to the latest figures released Thursday by emergency services.
Another 62 residents remain trapped inside the buildings as rescue operations continue.
Firefighters also confirmed the rescue of another survivor, a man found on the stairwell of the 16th floor of one of the affected buildings.
The blaze, which broke out Wednesday afternoon, has devastated seven of the eight 31-story blocks that make up the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po district, becoming Hong Kong’s worst urban fire in three decades.
The fire started in one of the buildings and spread extremely rapidly, fueled by bamboo scaffolding covered with safety netting, waterproof tarpaulins, and expanded polystyrene sheets used in exterior renovation work that began in July 2024.
Authorities consider the speed of spread “unusual” and have confirmed the presence of highly flammable expanded polystyrene materials inside the buildings.
By early morning, the fires in all seven buildings were under control, with flames remaining in only three of them, after nearly 10 hours of continuous operations. A few hours later, Chief Executive John Lee confirmed that the fires in all affected buildings were “fully under control.”
The Fire Department has deployed 1,250 personnel, 304 emergency vehicles, 26 specialized teams, and four drones for aerial surveillance, and continues to work floor by floor on rescue and cooling operations.
Officials warned of the risk of partial collapse of the scaffolding, from which fragments have already fallen, forcing personnel to exercise extreme caution.
Police have arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from the contractor responsible for the work, accused of manslaughter for using materials that allegedly facilitated the rapid spread of the fire.
Additionally, officers today searched the offices of the company managing the complex and the home of one of the suspects, while the investigation into the cause of the blaze continues.
Meanwhile, the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ICAC) has opened an investigation into possible irregularities or corrupt practices in the renovation work, valued at HK$330 million (US$42 million).
Lee, in a subsequent press conference, called the tragedy a “massive catastrophe” and announced the suspension of all campaign events leading up to the December 7 Legislative Council elections, also leaving open the possibility of reconsidering the election date.
At an interdepartmental meeting held earlier in the day, Lee ordered immediate inspections of all housing estates in Hong Kong currently under construction to verify the safety of scaffolding and materials.
The outpouring of support intensified today, with announcements of aid from the private sector.
The Jack Ma Foundation, Alibaba, and Ant Group pledged HK$60 million (US$7.7 million) to support affected families and rescue services.
In addition, companies such as BYD, NetEase, Trip.com, ByteDance, and Didi each donated HK$10 million to the relief efforts.
The catastrophe far exceeds the death toll of the Garley commercial building fire in Kowloon in 1996, which left 41 dead and was until now the worst disaster of its kind in peacetime in Hong Kong.
