A devastating fire in a Hong Kong high-rise housing complex has claimed the lives of at least 94 people, marking the city's deadliest blaze in modern history.
Firefighters have been battling the inferno for two days since it ignited on Wednesday afternoon, 26th November, with efforts now focused on preventing smouldering embers and debris from re-igniting.
A Rapidly Spreading Inferno
The fire tore through the eight-building complex in the Tai Po district, a northern suburb near the border with mainland China. The flames spread rapidly across seven of the eight towers, aided by strong winds and fuelled by bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that caught alight.
The complex, constructed in the 1980s and home to approximately 4,800 residents, was undergoing renovation at the time of the tragedy.
Safety Failures and Arrests
Officials have confirmed that some materials on the exterior walls did not meet fire resistance standards, which allowed the fire to spread with terrifying speed. In a disturbing discovery, police found highly flammable plastic foam panels attached to windows in one of the towers.
This has led to the arrest of three individuals: the directors and an engineering consultant of the Prestige Construction & Engineering Company. They are being held on suspicion of manslaughter, with police stating there is reason to believe the company's management was "grossly negligent" in their duties.
Aftermath and Ongoing Response
The human cost of the disaster is staggering. Alongside the 94 confirmed fatalities, more than 70 people were injured, including 11 firefighters who bravely fought the blaze. Approximately 900 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters.
Derek Armstrong Chan, Deputy Director of Fire Services Operations, stated that while the main firefighting operation is nearly complete, crews remain on site to manage hotspots.
In response to the catastrophe, authorities have announced immediate inspections of all housing estates undergoing major renovation work to ensure all materials used comply with safety standards, a move aimed at preventing a tragedy of this scale from ever happening again.
