On Wednesday, November 26, a deadly fire engulfed an apartment complex in Hong Kong, China, killing 146 people. Gutting seven of the eight buildings in the cluster, the fire injured 79 people, and 50 remain missing. The fire is the worst Hong Kong has experienced in seven decades.
The fire reached a peak temperature of 932 degrees Fahrenheit and burned for a total of 40 hours. It took over 2,000 firefighters to fully extinguish the fire, which took until Friday morning. At least one firefighter died in the blaze, and 12 more were injured. Only four of the seven buildings have been searched, and the total death toll will certainly rise as bodies are recovered and identified. Bodies of residents have been discovered not only in apartment units, but also in stairwells and on rooftops, where they tried to flee the flaming inferno.
The Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire, making the buildings extremely flammable. Styrofoam window covers, nylon netting and bamboo scaffolding covered the complex, providing fuel for the massive fire as it spread quickly upwards and jumped between buildings. The ease with which the fire tore through the construction materials has sparked debate about the advisability of using bamboo scaffolding as opposed to steel.
While the exact cause of the fire is unknown, eight people, including renovation contractors, have been arrested on suspicion of corruption. Three more were detained on charges of manslaughter. Surviving residents of the burned complex say that they did not hear fire alarms, and it was confirmed that alarm and sprinkler systems in all eight buildings were not functioning properly. Officials say that although the burned buildings are structurally sound, searching through the rubble in the dark interior of the buildings is slow, and the investigation could take another three to four weeks.
A three-day mourning period is underway in Hong Kong and flags are being flown at half-mast around China to remember those who died. Mourners formed lines up to 1.2 miles long to lay flowers and handwritten notes at the sight of the fire, and donations flooded in to assist those who lost everything in the blaze. The Orange sends deepest condolences to the victims’ families.
