A catastrophic high-rise fire in Hong Kong has resulted in at least 55 deaths and approximately 280 missing, prompting a criminal investigation into contractor negligence and the use of highly flammable building materials.
Authorities have arrested three individuals associated with the building’s renovation contractor, including two directors and one consultant. They face charges on suspicion of negligent homicide.
Investigators believe the rapid spread of the blaze through the 31-story Wang Fuk Court residential building was severely exacerbated by highly combustible styrene foam. This material was allegedly used to seal elevator windows on each floor, allowing flames to spread quickly into apartments via hallways.
Additionally, exterior scaffolding nets and tarpaulins, installed during ongoing renovations in the Tai Po district, were found to be below fire safety standards. Preliminary video evidence, described by officials, showed the bamboo scaffolding igniting swiftly.
The fire, which broke out at 2:51 PM local time on Wednesday, marks the deadliest in Hong Kong in over 70 years. Rescue operations are ongoing, with emergency services continuing to evacuate survivors and recover victims.
At least 76 people were hospitalized following the disaster. Of these, 15 are in critical condition and 28 are reported to be serious.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has ordered an urgent review of all public housing renovation projects across the city. He visited the injured in hospitals on Thursday morning, vowing a thorough investigation into the fire’s cause and the materials used.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his deep condolences on Wednesday night. He called for “all-out efforts” to minimize further injuries and losses.
The blaze initially engulfed seven out of the complex’s eight buildings, sending thick black smoke billowing across the sky. While four of the seven affected blocks are now under control, fires continue to burn on the upper floors of three other structures.
This incident is Hong Kong’s most fatal fire since a 1948 warehouse blaze killed 176 people. It ranks as one of the city’s worst modern tragedies, surpassed only by the 1918 Happy Valley racecourse fire, which claimed more than 600 lives.