Hong Kong is reeling from its deadliest fire in decades after a blaze tore through a crowded apartment complex in the Tai Po area, killing at least 128 people and leaving nearly 200 unaccounted for.
Officials confirmed on Friday that firefighters managed to bring the inferno under control after battling it for 42 hours. At least 79 people sustained injuries, many of them in critical condition.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Chris Tang, told journalists that the death toll could rise further as authorities continue to identify victims and search for those missing. “It ignited the mesh nets (and) quickly spread to the polystyrene boards around the windows, resulting in the fire in other floors and buildings,” he explained.
The disaster has shocked the city, known for its strict building codes and safety standards. Survivors and displaced residents, now spending nights in temporary shelters, are demanding answers as they wait anxiously for news of loved ones.
Investigators believe the fire began on the lower floors of Wang Cheong House, one of eight towers in the Wang Fuk Court estate, which housed more than 4,000 residents, many of them elderly. Renovation works were ongoing at the time, with bamboo scaffolding and protective mesh covering the buildings. Police say flammable polystyrene boards found near windows worsened the spread of the flames.
Temperatures inside the buildings soared above 500 degrees Celsius, shattering windows and fueling the blaze. Fire alarms across the complex were later discovered to be “not functional,” according to Fire Services Director Andy Yeung, who vowed: “On this, we will take law enforcement action.”
The investigation into the cause of the fire and why it spread so rapidly is expected to take several weeks. Meanwhile, Hong Kong mourns as families grieve and the city confronts hard questions about safety lapses in its public housing estates.
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