A massive fire broke out in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday, killing at least 44 people and leaving roughly 279 people uncontactable, officials said. Fire crews struggled to reach residents potentially trapped on upper floors in the Tai Po district due to intense heat and thick smoke.
By Thursday morning authorities said the blaze had been brought under control in four blocks while operations continued in three others. The complex comprises about 2,000 apartments across eight blocks. Over 900 residents were moved to eight shelters.
Three men—two company directors and a consultant from a construction firm—were arrested after investigators found the company’s name on highly flammable polystyrene boards that had been used to block windows in some flats. “We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties,” Police Superintendent Eileen Chung said.
Andy Yeung, Director of Fire Services, said the polystyrene was extremely inflammable and the fire spread very rapidly. Officials also suspect other site materials such as protective nets, canvas sheets and plastic coverings did not meet safety standards.
A firefighter was among the dead. At least 45 others are in critical condition. The inferno is now believed to be Hong Kong’s deadliest in nearly 30 years, surpassing the 1996 Garley Building fire that killed 41 people.
