Hong Kong: A catastrophic fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po has resulted in 128 confirmed deaths, marking the city’s deadliest blaze in nearly 80 years. The inferno engulfed eight residential towers on Wednesday, spreading rapidly through structures covered in bamboo scaffolding.
Emergency crews have spent days searching the burned buildings, with 25 distress calls still unresolved as of Friday. Families gathered at community centers to identify victims through photographs of the disaster scene.
Construction Firm Faces Criminal Charges
Authorities arrested three employees of Prestige Construction, including two directors and an engineering consultant, on manslaughter charges. The firm had been conducting renovation work at the site for more than a year.
Police identified multiple safety violations that accelerated the fire’s spread. “We have reason to believe the decision-makers showed gross negligence,” Police Superintendent Eileen Chung stated. Investigators discovered flammable foam panels covering windows and combustible exterior materials that enabled flames to move vertically and horizontally between buildings within minutes.
Migrant Workers Heavily Affected
The death toll includes numerous foreign domestic workers residing in the complex. Philippine community organizations reported 19 Filipino workers remained missing, while Indonesian officials confirmed two fatalities among their citizens. Hong Kong employs over 368,000 migrant domestic workers, predominantly from Southeast Asian nations.
Traditional Scaffolding Method Questioned
The disaster has intensified scrutiny of Hong Kong’s continued use of bamboo scaffolding, a centuries-old practice still common throughout the city. Officials noted the fire originated on exterior bamboo structures before spreading internally and across multiple towers, aided by wind conditions.
While bamboo remains favored for its affordability and ease of installation in dense urban environments, it has contributed to 23 construction-related deaths since 2018. The government had already been considering transitioning to metal alternatives before this incident.
Response and Investigation
Chief Executive John Lee announced a HK$300 million relief package for affected families. Hundreds of displaced residents sheltered in nearby shopping centers while investigators worked to determine the precise ignition source. The combination of flammable materials and traditional construction methods created what experts described as catastrophic conditions for rapid fire spread.
