A City in Mourning After Devastating Blaze
A steady stream of grieving residents laid flowers and offered prayers at a growing makeshift memorial near the Wang Fuk Court complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, as the death toll from Wednesday's catastrophic fire rose sharply to 146 people.
Rescue teams have been working meticulously through the burnt-out buildings, with the officer in charge, Cheng Ka-chun, confirming the discovery of more bodies both inside apartment units and on the roofs. The search operation has been painstakingly slow due to extremely dark conditions inside the structures, despite the buildings remaining structurally sound.
Rescue Efforts and Rising Casualties
Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, revealed that recent searches had uncovered another 30 bodies, including 12 that firefighters had previously located but been unable to recover. The scale of the tragedy continues to unfold, with authorities confirming that 100 people remain unaccounted for and 79 others suffered injuries.
The disaster victim identification unit has so far examined four of the seven blocks in the complex, working in challenging conditions with limited visibility away from windows. Cheng, who addressed reporters while still wearing his protective coveralls, emphasised the difficulties faced by rescue teams navigating the blackened interiors.
Community Response and Safety Investigations
The eight-building Wang Fuk Court complex, constructed in the 1980s and housing approximately 4,600 residents across nearly 2,000 apartments, had been undergoing renovations with bamboo scaffolding draped in nylon netting and windows covered by polystyrene panels. Authorities are investigating whether fire safety codes were violated during these works.
In a significant development, Hong Kong officials ordered the immediate suspension of work on 28 building projects undertaken by the same contractor, Prestige Construction + Engineering Company, for comprehensive safety audits. The government statement cited "serious deficiencies in site safety management," particularly highlighting the extensive use of foam boards to block windows during building repairs.
National Repercussions and Security Concerns
The tragedy has prompted China's ministry of emergency management to announce nationwide inspections of high-rise buildings to identify and remove fire hazards. The inspections will focus on bamboo scaffolding, non-flame-retardant safety nets, and critical firefighting equipment including hydrant systems and automatic sprinklers.
Amid concerns about potential public backlash, China's national security authorities issued a stern warning against using the disaster to disrupt the city, referencing the Hong Kong national security law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
Community Solidarity in Crisis
Hundreds of people queued to add their floral tributes to the growing memorial, with many leaving handwritten notes among the bouquets. Local resident Lian Shuzheng described the fire as "a wake-up call for everyone, especially with these super high-rise buildings."
Community support has been overwhelming, with donations pouring in for those who lost everything in the blaze that started on Wednesday and took until Friday to fully extinguish. Many displaced residents are being housed in short-term emergency shelters or city hotels while authorities work on longer-term solutions.
Jeffery Chan, a civil servant who came to pay his respects, expressed the collective grief: "It's heartbreaking. As a Hongkonger, seeing people in the place where we live lose their families, lose everything in just one night – if you put yourself in their shoes, it is unbearable."
This represents Hong Kong's worst fire disaster since a 1948 warehouse blaze that claimed 176 lives, marking a dark chapter in the city's history and raising urgent questions about high-rise safety standards during renovation works.
