A devastating inferno tore through a residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, resulting in a tragic loss of at least 36 lives, including a brave firefighter. Amidst the chaos, 79 individuals remain unaccounted for, with many residents feared trapped in smoke-filled apartments as flames consumed multiple high-rise buildings.
The catastrophic blaze reportedly ignited around 2:50 PM local time and rapidly ascended the exteriors of the structures. The fire’s rapid spread was exacerbated by bamboo scaffolding and green safety netting, remnants of ongoing renovation work, which acted as fuel for the rapidly growing flames. In response to the escalating crisis, authorities quickly raised the alarm to a No. 4 level, signifying one of Hong Kong’s most severe emergency responses.
Disturbing video footage captured the harrowing scene, showing several blocks of the housing estate engulfed in fire, with flames leaping skyward and dense black smoke obscuring the daylight. Firefighting efforts were severely hampered as burning debris, including bamboo poles, rained down from the burning structures.
The affected estate is a densely populated area, comprising eight residential towers and housing over 4,800 residents in approximately 2,000 flats. Located in the New Territories, Tai Po is characterized by its concentration of tall buildings, raising concerns about the potential for the fire to spread further.
Rescue operations are continuing with intense urgency. Emergency teams are conducting meticulous floor-by-floor searches to find anyone still trapped within the buildings while simultaneously working to extinguish remaining hotspots on the scaffold-clad facades. Temporary shelters have been established to provide refuge for displaced families.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with authorities yet to release official findings on its origin.
