Hong Kong is grappling with a fire that broke out in an apartment building and soon engulfed seven towers, killing at least 44 people with hundreds still missing.
The blaze in Hong Kong’s suburban Tai Po district broke out at about 3 p.m. on Nov. 26. By around 2 a.m., the fire had largely been brought under control, although there were still fires seen burning in some units several hours later. Despite rescue operations still underway and total casualties yet to be tallied, it’s already the city’s worst residential fire disaster at least since a blaze at a tenement building killed 44 people in 1962.
A “red” warning — signaling extreme fire risk due to weather — has been in place for Hong Kong since Monday, although authorities said the fire spread far more intensely and faster than would normally be expected. Attention has turned to the materials used while the towers underwent a renovation, including Hong Kong’s traditional bamboo scaffoldings and their plastic coverings.
With many questions still unanswered, here’s what we know so far.
How did the fire start?
It’s unclear how exactly the fire started. Scaffolding at Wang Cheong House in the complex caught fire first, Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Chan said.
The severity of the blaze could have been a result of a combination of factors, according to Vincent Ho, founder of Hong Kong think tank the Institute of Building Safety. He listed flammable bamboo scaffolding, the possible use of insufficient fire-resistant materials and the close proximity of the buildings as plausible reasons that allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
The South China Morning Post reported that residents complained about fire alarms failing to go off even after locals could smell smoke. Those inside were alerted only when a security guard knocked on their door, former district councilor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho said, according to the newspaper. Residents of several buildings made calls to report they were unable to escape, public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong reported earlier, citing a police statement.
Is the blaze under control?
Firefighters arrived on the scene five minutes after being alerted, but they had difficulties entering the buildings due to the high temperatures and falling debris and scaffolding.
Video footage showed the blaze still raging after dark fell. By around midnight, the fire was largely under control, although a handful of apartments were still seen to have fires burning at about 9:30 a.m., according to live footage. Several people were seen being carried out of the complex on stretchers at around 10 a.m.
Altogether, more than 140 fire engines and at least 800 firefighters, as well as about 60 ambulances attended the scene. One firefighter died and several others have been injured.
Why did the fire spread so quickly?
So far it’s not clear. But Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Chris Tang, said that “protective netting, waterproof cloth and plastic sheeting on the exterior of the building burned far more intensely and spread much faster than compliant materials normally would.” He called the situation “unusual.”
Styrofoam found at the scene also accelerated the spread of the fire through the corridors into some units, according to a fire department official. It also produced thick smoke and heat, making it more challenging for firefighters to navigate the scene.
How have authorities responded?
Lee has announced a task force to investigate the blaze, promising that any wrongdoing will be pursued “in accordance with laws and regulations,” and that all ongoing renovation sites using scaffolding will be checked for proper materials and fire safety. Police arrested three senior figures at an engineering company on suspicion of manslaughter.
Lee said in a statement that he’d ordered an all-out effort across government departments to put out the fire and rescue those trapped. He, as well as China’s President Xi Jinping, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and injured. Xi also asked other local governments to aid Hong Kong, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
What do we know about the Hong Kong apartment complex?
The Wang Fuk Court complex, which has close to 2,000 units, is estimated to house nearly 5,000 people. Hong Kong estates are densely populated, with multi-generational families often living inside one small apartment.
It’s located in the suburban Tai Po district in the north of Hong Kong, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the central business area. The district is home to about 300,000 residents and encompasses housing for various income ranges, alongside parks and shopping malls.
The complex was built as government-subsidized housing in the 1980s and was undergoing a lengthy renovation. The affected seven buildings — out of a total eight in the complex — were covered in bamboo scaffolds and mesh while construction was being undertaken.
Renovation works at Wang Fuk Court were carried out by Prestige Construction & Engineering Co. Bloomberg News visited Prestige’s office on Thursday, but the shutters were down and no one responded despite repeated knocking. Phone calls to the office went unanswered.
Is bamboo scaffolding normal in Hong Kong?
Bamboo scaffolding is very common in construction in Hong Kong and has had over a century of history in the city. Given Hong Kong’s high density and spatial constraints among buildings, bamboo scaffolding serves as a more agile and efficient option for workers to conduct external wall installation or other works. The cost is also significantly lower than metal.
The government recently has moved to phase in the use of more metal scaffolds, which are prevalent in the rest of the world, citing the safety concerns surrounding bamboo for its high combustibility and deterioration over time.
Are fires like this common in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has had several notable high-rise fires in recent years, although deaths are rare. A group called the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims said this is the fourth fire involving scaffolding this year.
Scaffolding surrounding a commercial building in the financial district went up in flames last month, causing four people to be hospitalized. In 2023, a 42-story hotel under construction in the tourism district of Tsim Sha Tsui caught fire before being brought under control.
Before today, the deadliest residential building fire in recent decades was a 1996 blaze. Forty-one people died in the 16-story Garley Building in the densely populated Jordan district. In 1962, a blaze tore through a tenement building, leaving 44 dead.
A fire in a Shek Kip Mei shanty town in the northeast of the Kowloon peninsula on Christmas Day 1953 displaced tens of thousands of refugees, prompting the government to start providing public housing and helped to improve the living conditions of many lower-income families.
What will happen to the people displaced?
With seven of the eight towers affected by the blaze, the number of people who have lost their homes could be in the thousands, though we don’t have exact numbers at this point. As of Wednesday night, the government said there were about 900 affected residents in temporary shelters. Finding accommodation for them in a city notorious for its tight housing market will be a challenge.
Authorities said the Housing Bureau is coordinating with charities, the hotel industry, and youth hostels to provide shelter. The government will use all available rooms to provide short-term accommodation for affected citizens, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak said at a briefing.
(Reporting by Shawna Kwan)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Bloomberg news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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