PeterRS Posted yesterday at 01:49 AM Posted yesterday at 01:49 AM For a city that has some of the most crowded parts of our planet housed in a vast number of high rise buildings, major fires in Hong Kong have been relatively uncommon. Yesterday afternoon, though, a massive one broke out spread out over seven tower blocks in the Tai Po district not far from the China border. 44 have been killed including one fireman and 279 remain unaccounted for. Many remain trapped in the upper floors which firemen are having difficulty reaching due to the intense heat at that level. With air-conditioning units having melted and no power, those on the upper levels still alive must be going through absolute hell. Photo: Getty Images Just after 7:00 am today Thai time the blaze had been raging for 16 hours and was still not under control. It is believed to be Hong Kong's deadliest fire since World War II. The cause of the blaze has not yet been identified. But experts have been saying it was made worse by the bamboo scaffoding surrounding the tower blocks which were having exterior renovation. Another has been inflammable polystyrene boards that have been covering many of the windows and which did not meet fire safety standards. Bamboo scaffolding is universal in Hong Kong and has been in use in mainland China for centuries. Two directors of the construction company and one of its consultants have already been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Location of the tower blocks Photo from CNN website https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/hong-kong-tai-po-buildings-fire-11-26-25 vinapu and splinter1949 2 Quote
PeterRS Posted 20 hours ago Author Posted 20 hours ago The fires have now been brought under control in all but one of the towers. The death toll has now risen to 65 with nearly 300 still unaccounted for. Fear remains for those on the upper floors who would have had no means of escape in the burning heat. The fireman who died had been overcome by smoke after entering a building to look for survivors. Locally, the sentiment has changed from one of horror to anger., How did this happen and how were fire alrams not heard, if indeed they went off? There is some concern about a possible building collapse but this is regarded as remote. Major corporations in Hong Kong and mainland China have been quick to make donations to help those who have lost so much. Jack Ma and his Alibaba Group have pledged almost US$7 million, other Chinese companies $1.25 million each. A Hong Kong consortium of companies has already pledged $12.5 million. Photo: Yan Zhao/AFP/Getty Images Quote
vinapu Posted 8 hours ago Posted 8 hours ago unspeakable horror for those trapped inside , many likely will perish without trace in such heat floridarob 1 Quote
PeterRS Posted 7 hours ago Author Posted 7 hours ago A real probem for this complex is that it housed mostly elderly people. The largest age grouping was those aged 65 and above. CNN has reported that of recent buyers, the youngest was in their 60s. It was one of the government's low cost housing complexs of which there are many in Hong Kong. Private rentals are so high that a broom cupbord in the city centre is basically unaffordable for most. Government public housing is sold at very substantial discounts resulting in long waiting lists. Residents of Wang Fuk Court became concerned about the cladding and fireproofing over a year ago when they started writing to the government about it. Between July 2024 and November 20 2025 the Labour Department had carred out 16 safety checks, the latest reminding the contractors of the need for fireproofing of materials. The death toll is now 94 with that total expected to rise to several hundred. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/27/asia/hong-kong-fire-survivors-questions-intl-hnk Quote
