Post by : Rameen Ariff

The death toll from the devastating Hong Kong high-rise fire climbed to 94 as firefighters continued battling the flames for a second straight day in Tai Po district. The blaze, which tore through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, has become one of the deadliest tragedies in Hong Kong’s modern history and the worst since 1948, when a blast and fire killed 135 people.

Thick smoke still poured from several windows on Thursday as rescuers moved through charred apartments with flashlights, searching for survivors in the burned remains of the seven damaged towers. The vast housing complex, home to thousands of residents, now stands blackened, with parts of the buildings crumbling from intense heat.

Officials said fires in four of the eight towers had finally been extinguished, while flames in three others were mostly under control. Fire crews continued to work through the debris to reach every apartment, fearing more victims may still be inside.

Deputy Director of Fire Services Operations Derek Armstrong Chan said the main concern was preventing the remaining embers from reigniting. He added that the next phase would focus entirely on search and rescue.

Authorities earlier reported that contact had been lost with 279 residents, but no updated information was given during the latest briefing. Families anxiously waited in nearby shelters, hoping for news about missing loved ones.

Video from the scene showed rescuers entering smoke-filled hallways and damaged rooms as orange flames flickered inside several apartments. Firefighters had been struggling to control the blaze since Wednesday afternoon, when it is believed to have started on bamboo scaffolding before spreading rapidly across the 32-storey towers.

Officials said the fire moved “exceptionally fast,” with emergency teams facing dangerous conditions, falling debris, high temperatures and blocked entry points caused by collapsed scaffolding.

More than 70 people were injured, including 11 firefighters, in addition to the 94 confirmed dead. Nearly 900 residents were evacuated overnight to temporary shelters.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his condolences in a message to Hong Kong’s bishop, offering prayers for the victims, the injured and the rescuers working at the scene.

For many families, the wait has been agonizing. Lawrence Lee, one of the residents, said he last spoke to his wife as she tried to escape their apartment. Smoke had filled the corridor, forcing her to turn back and remain inside. He has not heard from her since.

Other residents, including Winter and Sandy Chung, described seeing sparks and falling debris as they fled. Though safe, they remained deeply worried about their homes and neighbors.

Police have arrested three men — two directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company — on suspicion of manslaughter. Investigators believe negligence related to the renovation work may have contributed to the rapid spread of the Hong Kong fire. Police also raided the office of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, which had been overseeing the renovation project. Boxes of documents were taken as evidence.

Authorities suspect that some exterior materials did not meet fire-resistance standards. Investigators also discovered highly flammable plastic foam panels near elevator lobbies in the unaffected tower. The purpose of these panels is still unclear and remains under investigation.

The Wang Fuk Court complex, built in the 1980s, includes eight towers with nearly 2,000 apartments housing around 4,800 residents, many of whom are elderly. The buildings were undergoing major renovation at the time of the fire. Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has now launched a probe into possible corruption linked to the renovation work.

Officials confirmed that the fire began on external scaffolding before spreading rapidly due to bamboo structures, construction netting and strong winds. While bamboo scaffolding is commonly used across Hong Kong, the government said it may now push for a shift to metal scaffolding to improve safety.

Inspections will also be carried out immediately in all housing estates undergoing renovation to ensure compliance with safety standards and prevent similar tragedies.

This deadly Hong Kong blaze stands as the worst the city has faced in decades. The previous major tragedy was in 1996, when 41 people died in a commercial building fire in Kowloon.

#Global News #Asia News