Hong Kong's Devastating Inferno: At Least 50 Lives Lost in Deadly Wang Fuk Court Fire
Image Source: Internet
A devastating fire swept through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in northern Hong Kong, leaving at least 50 people dead and over 300 residents unaccounted for. The blaze, which raged for over a day, engulfed seven of the complex's 32-storey towers and has been linked to grossly negligent actions by a construction firm. Firefighters battled the inferno, which was fueled by high temperatures and thick smoke, with over 1,200 personnel and 304 fire engines involved in the operation. The tragedy has sparked widespread grief and anger among residents, many of whom were forced to flee their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. For some, the trauma of the experience will be long-lasting. Lawrence Lee, a resident who narrowly escaped with his life, recounted the harrowing tale of his wife's attempted escape. 'She had to go back to the flat,' he said, as he waited anxiously for news of her whereabouts. The fire has also raised questions about the safety of Hong Kong's housing stock, particularly in subsidized complexes like Wang Fuk Court. Resident Harry Cheung, who has lived in the complex for over 40 years, said, 'I don't even know how I feel right now. I'm just thinking about where I'm going to sleep tonight.' As the search for the missing continues, authorities have set up an online app to aid in the effort. The app, linked to a Google document, lists residents of individual towers and their whereabouts. The entries paint a stark picture of the catastrophe, with descriptions such as 'Mother-in-law in her 70s, missing' and 'one boy and one girl'. The Wang Fuk Court fire is the deadliest in Hong Kong since 1948, when 176 people were killed in a warehouse blaze. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has acknowledged the need for support and a thorough investigation, while China's President Xi Jinping has urged an 'all-out effort' to minimize casualties and losses. The tragedy has also drawn comparisons with the Grenfell Tower inferno in London, which killed 72 people in 2017. The Grenfell United survivors' group has expressed solidarity with the Hong Kong victims, saying, 'To the families, friends and communities, we stand with you. You are not alone.'
