Highlights
- At least 55 people killed and nearly 300 missing after major Hong Kong housing estate fire
- Police say a construction company may have been “grossly negligent”
- Three people arrested as authorities investigate unsafe renovation materials
- Blaze now the deadliest in Hong Kong since 1948
HONG KONG firefighters brought under control on Thursday a large blaze at an apartment complex that killed at least 55 people and left nearly 300 missing. Police said the fire could have been caused by a "grossly negligent" construction company that used unsafe materials.
Rescuers worked for more than a day in intense heat and heavy smoke after the blaze broke out, as they tried to reach residents feared trapped on upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po.
The eight blocks of the complex contain 2,000 apartments and house more than 4,600 people. Hong Kong has long faced shortages of affordable housing.
Outside one of the eight shelters set up for affected residents, a woman carrying her daughter's graduation photograph searched for her child. “She and her father are still not out yet,” said the 52-year-old, who gave only her surname, Ng. “They didn’t have water to save our building.”
Police on Thursday searched the building maintenance company responsible for the estate and seized documents, according to media reports. The company has not responded to requests for comment.
“We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties,” said police superintendent Eileen Chung.
Video from the site showed flames coming out of at least two of the 32-storey towers covered in green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding.
Authorities said they had put out fires in four of the seven affected blocks and brought the rest under control.
“We bought in this building more than 20 years ago,” said a 51-year-old resident surnamed Wan. “All of our belongings were in this building, and now that it has all burned like this, what’s left?”
Three arrested
Police said that alongside protective mesh and plastic coverings that may not meet fire standards, they also found foam sealing material on windows in one unaffected building. It had been installed by a construction company carrying out year-long maintenance work.
Chung said police had arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from the company on suspicion of manslaughter.
The estate has been under renovation for a year, costing HK$330 million ($42 million), with each unit contributing between HK$160,000 and HK$180,000, media reported.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency said it had opened an investigation into suspected graft linked to the renovation.
A firefighter was among the dead. Dozens of people in hospital were in critical condition on Thursday, and about 279 people still had not been traced.
Indonesia’s foreign ministry said two Indonesian migrant workers “in the domestic sector” died in the fire and two others were injured.
The fire is now the deadliest in Hong Kong since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze.
More than 1,200 firefighters and 304 fire engines and rescue vehicles have been deployed.
“The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped,” city leader John Lee said. He added that support for the injured and recovery efforts would follow, before a detailed investigation begins.
Searching for relatives
Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived in Block Two for more than 40 years, said he heard a loud sound at about 2:45 p.m. (0645 GMT) and saw fire break out in a nearby block.
“I immediately went back to pack up my things,” he said. “I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight.”
Another long-time resident, a woman surnamed Chu, said she had still not reached friends in the next block. After staying at a friend’s place on Wednesday night, she returned to find her home still burning.
“We don’t know what to do,” the 70-year-old said.
An online app listed missing persons reported through a linked Google document, setting out tower and room details. It carried descriptions like “Mother-in-law in her 70s, missing”, “one boy and one girl”, or “Rooftop: 33-year-old male”. One entry read, “27th floor, room 1: He is dead.” Reuters could not independently verify the information.
The fire has prompted comparisons to London’s Grenfell Tower blaze of 2017, which killed 72 people. That fire was attributed to firms fitting flammable cladding and failures by the government and the construction industry.
“Our hearts go out to all those affected by the horrific fire in Hong Kong,” the Grenfell United survivors’ group said on social media. “To the families, friends and communities, we stand with you. You are not alone.”
China’s Xi urges ‘all-out’ effort
Residents have criticised what they see as negligence and cost-cutting linked to the fire. One video showed construction workers smoking on bamboo scaffolding during renovation.
China’s President Xi Jinping called for an “all-out effort” to extinguish the fire and reduce casualties and losses, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Hong Kong’s transport department said some roads would remain closed on Thursday morning, and one bus route had been diverted. Schools nearby were closed.
Hong Kong’s high property prices have long been a source of social pressure, and the fire could add to public anger ahead of a legislative election in early December.
Wang Fuk Court is one of many high-rise housing estates in the city. Tai Po, near the mainland China border, is a long-established suburban district home to about 300,000 people.
The complex has been occupied since 1983 and is part of the government’s subsidised home ownership scheme, according to property agency websites.
(With inputs from agencies)
