Post by : Saif Rahman

Hong Kong is in mourning after a catastrophic fire engulfed the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, resulting in at least 83 fatalities and leaving many people unaccounted for. This incident marks the deadliest fire in the city since 1948. Authorities have detained three senior officials from Prestige Construction, the firm responsible for renovation tasks at the complex, under suspicion of manslaughter, as it is believed the company utilized substandard materials that facilitated the swift spread of the flames, preventing residents from escaping safely. The blaze raged for over 24 hours, igniting swiftly through bamboo scaffolding and a green construction mesh wrapped around several residential towers. By early Friday, firefighters had mostly contained the inferno, but the aftermath was devastating.

Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Armstrong Chan reported that most victims were discovered within two of the eight closely packed towers. Firefighters faced collapsing scaffolding, falling debris, and dense smoke as they tried to reach trapped residents on higher floors. Some survivors were rescued from the stairwells, while others awaited help in desperation. One woman, clutching her daughter’s graduation picture, wept outside an emergency shelter, lamenting that both her husband and daughter were missing. She added that there was a lack of water to combat the fire in their building. Authorities have set up eight shelters for evacuees, where around 900 residents have found refuge. Many have chosen to create makeshift sleeping areas in a nearby mall, prioritizing those in more dire need. Elderly residents, schoolchildren, and families wrapped in blankets have received food and essential supplies from volunteers.

The arrests followed a police raid on the Prestige Construction office, where documents, computers, mobile phones, and employee lists were seized. Police Superintendent Eileen Chung reported that investigators had compelling reasons to suspect the company acted with “gross negligence,” allowing the fire to spread uncontrollably and causing severe casualties. The firm has not commented on repeated media inquiries. Authorities also discovered foam material installed around windows in one of the buildings. This foam, added during renovations, might have accelerated the fire's spread. Foam insulation is known to ignite quickly and emit toxic fumes, raising pressing concerns about its presence in a residential community of over 4,600 individuals. The tragedy has reignited discussions about safety standards in Hong Kong’s dense high-rise districts, where many structures are aging and closely situated.

The government has confirmed that 279 people remain on the missing list following the fire, though updates have not been provided for over 24 hours. Pope Leo has offered prayers and “spiritual solidarity” to those affected through a message relayed to the bishop of Hong Kong. The region's leader, John Lee, has announced a HK$300 million fund to assist the impacted families, with major corporations — including Xiaomi, Xpeng, Geely, and charitable organizations linked to Jack Ma and Tencent — extending their donations. Beijing officials responded swiftly as President Xi Jinping urged immediate efforts to control the situation and prevent further loss. Authorities from both the Hong Kong administration and the Chinese Communist Party are keen to demonstrate their seriousness regarding this tragedy, particularly given the surrounding public urgency amid rising living costs and a scarcity of affordable housing.

Many residents have drawn parallels between this disaster and the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, which claimed 72 lives due to hazardous cladding and regulatory failures. Concerns have also arisen surrounding Hong Kong's historical reliance on bamboo scaffolding, which burns easily and is often draped with plastic sheets or mesh. The city’s development bureau has begun discussions on gradually replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal alternatives for enhanced safety in construction. Meanwhile, a community-run app for missing persons has been filling with heart-wrenching updates as families post information on their loved ones. Messages reflect the pain and anxiety taking hold of the city, with notes like “Mother-in-law in her 70s, missing” or “27th floor, room 1: He is dead.” These postings resonate with the sorrow echoing through the city as families await official updates.

The Wang Fuk Court complex, home to over 4,600 people across 2,000 apartments, is situated in Tai Po, a bustling suburban area with a population of around 300,000. The tightly clustered towers illustrate the ongoing housing crisis in the city and the strain on public estates to meet safety regulations during maintenance. As investigators continue to unveil the circumstances surrounding the fire, the community is left questioning how such a tragedy could occur in a modern metropolis. Many believe that restoring public trust after this heart-wrenching event will require time, responsibility, and enhanced safety protocols.

#World #World News #Global Global News world news