Hong Kong fire: What caused the deadly blaze that killed 44 with 279 missing?

Hong Kong is known for its towering skyscrapers — its urban landscape is made up of an impressive forest of steel and glass towers that dominate the sky. However, on Wednesday (November 26), a deadly fire took hold in an eight-building housing estate with 2,000 apartments, killing at least 44 people and leaving hundreds missing according to authorities.

The devastating fire, which continues to blaze, is now being considered the financial hub’s worst in decades, sending shockwaves through the area, with even China’s Xi Jinping expressing his condolences, and calling for “all-out efforts” to minimise casualties and losses.

But what do we know of the fire? What don’t we know of the blaze? Here’s what we found out so far.

Where and when did the fire break out in Hong Kong?

The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a large housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, at 14:51 local time on Wednesday (November 26). This residential complex consists of eight blocks with each building being 32-storeys high. According to the 2021 census, this entire complex housed 1,984 apartments and some 4,600 residents.

At the time of the blaze, the buildings were undergoing renovation with the outside being covered in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting. Visuals from the blaze shows the fire spreading quickly through the bamboo.

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According to Derek Armstrong Chan, the fire department’s deputy director of operations, by the time firefighters reached the spot, the scaffolding was on fire, spreading through the building and across to other tower blocks.

At least seven of the eight tower blocks within the housing complex were affected by the blaze, forcing those who were able to escape the flames into temporary accommodation.

How serious is this blaze?

Soon after the fire broke out, visuals of the blaze went viral on social media with local media even reporting that explosions could be heard inside the building.

According to Hong Kong’s fire department, the blaze has been categorised as level five — the highest in severity. In fact, 17 years since a level five fire last hit Hong Kong.

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Firefighters are still struggling to douse the flames on Thursday morning. They added that the scorching temperatures inside Wang Fuk Court was preventing them from reaching the upper floors of the buildings, where residents are still trapped.

“The temperatures inside the buildings concerned are very high, so it’s quite difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs and conduct firefighting and rescue operation,” Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, was quoted as telling the local media.

A total of 128 firetrucks, 57 ambulances and some 400 police officers have been deployed at the scene of the fire where locals look on aghast as the blaze continues to rip through the buildings.

A total of 44 people have been killed in the blaze so far, but officials fear that count will rise as they reach the higher floors in the buildings. Shirley Chan, a local resident, called the tragedy terribly sad. “Imagine a home — gone, burnt. Anyone would be heartbroken. I can relate to that; it’s truly heartbreaking. A home, gone in flames,” Chan told AFP. “I can’t even put it into words.”

Another resident, 65-year-old Jason Kong, told Reuters that a neighbour called him and said he was still trapped inside one of the tower blocks. “I am devastated. There are so many neighbours and friends. I do not know what is going on anymore. Look, all the apartments are just burning. I do not know what to do. I hope the government can help us to settle down after this.”

What do we know about the victims of the fire?

As of now, 44 people have died as a result of the blaze in the Hong Kong complex, with Hong Kong chief executive John Lee confirming 279 people were missing.

Among those who have died so far is firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, who was with the service at Sha Tin Fire Station for nine years. At least two others were injured while battling the flames. According to officials, one has injured his leg, while the other is battling “extreme exhaustion”.

What caused the fire? What action has been taken so far?

While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, many note that the bamboo scaffolding may have exacerbated the effects of the blaze.

Such scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong, as bamboo grows quickly and is lightweight and strong. However, in March, the government had said it would phase out the use of bamboo owing to safety concerns. They highlighted the fact that at least 23 people had died since 2018 owing to industrial accidents involving bamboo scaffolds.

According to Gary Au Gar-hoe, spokesman for the fire engineering division of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, the scale of the fire indicated that there were deficiencies in fire safety materials being used. “Besides the scaffolding, there was also debris inside like newspapers and other flammable items. Once these items burn, the entire blaze would strengthen,” Au told South China Morning Post.

Residents of the blazing building also stated that they had complained of the green netting, but no one had paid heed to his complaints. Kwong Pui-lun, former chairman of Wang Fuk Court’s Owners’ Corporation, was quoted as saying, “I always see construction workers smoking, and they litter cigarette butts everywhere,” hinting that this might have led to the fire.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong police has arrested three construction officials on suspicion of manslaughter: two directors of a company and a consultant. Speaking on the arrests, Eileen Chung, a senior superintendent of police, was quoted as saying, “We have reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent.”

The police added that they suspected some materials on the exterior walls of the high-rise buildings did not meet fire resistance standards, as the rapid spread of the fire was unusual. Officials also pointed out to the discovery of styrofoam being used inside the buildings, which they said caused the fire to spread more rapidly within the blocks and ignite flats through the corridors.

The authorities added that they have opened temporary shelters at nearby community centres to house displaced residents.

How has the world reacted to the blaze?

As officials continue to battle the blaze and try to bring it under control, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered his condolences to the victims of the disaster. Xi urged “all-out efforts” from representatives of China’s Central Committee and the Hong Kong Liaison Office to do “everything possible” to assist efforts in minimising casualties and losses from the fire, according to CCTV.

Several other countries, including Japan, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, also extended their condolences to families affected by the fire and the people of Hong Kong.

“The horrendous fire in Tai Po apartment blocks is truly devastating and deeply distressing. The UK sends heartfelt condolences to all the families affected and to the people of Hong Kong,” wrote the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on her social media.

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te also sent condolences to Hong Kong over Wednesday’s massive fire.

Is this the worst fire Hong Kong has ever seen?

With the death toll already at 44, the fire at Wang Fuk Court is now being considered the worst ever in Hong Kong. Previously, the 1996 Garley building fire in which 41 people died, was considered the worst blaze in Hong Kong history.

In fact, fires such as the one on Wednesday are rare in Hong Kong. The Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China has a strong track record when it comes to building safety owing to high quality construction and strict enforcement of building regulations.

With inputs from agencies