The death toll from a catastrophic fire at a Hong Kong residential complex has risen to 55, making it one of the deadliest blazes in the city’s modern history. The fire, which raged for over 24 hours across multiple towers, has sparked a criminal investigation and exposed critical failures in construction safety.
The inferno began Wednesday afternoon on scaffolding surrounding a 32-story tower in the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po. Fanned by strong winds, flames quickly leaped across seven of the eight buildings via bamboo scaffolding and highly flammable construction netting—an unprecedented spread that fire safety experts called “shocking.”
In a significant development, police arrested three directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction & Engineering Company on suspicion of manslaughter. Authorities allege “gross negligence,” pointing to the use of materials, including Styrofoam, that did not meet fire resistance standards, which they believe allowed the fire to spread with devastating speed.
A Community Devastated
The human toll is immense. Among the dead is one firefighter. Over 70 people were injured, and hundreds were evacuated, with many elderly residents trapped by smoke-filled corridors. “When she left the flat, the corridor and stairs were all filled with smoke… she had no choice but to go back,” said one resident, desperately waiting for news of his trapped wife.
The tragedy has prompted a city-wide order from Hong Kong leader John Lee for immediate inspections of all major renovation sites. The disaster underscores long-standing concerns about building safety in a dense urban environment and marks a grim new chapter, surpassing the 41 deaths in a 1996 Kowloon fire as the city’s deadliest in nearly 30 years.
By James Kisoo
