At least 44 people have been killed and more than 270 are missing after a massive blaze has engulfed a large apartment complex in Hong Kong, making it possibly the city’s deadliest fire since World War II.
Firefighters are still trying to contain parts of the fire more than 20 hours after it started.
Questions are mounting about how the fires could jump from building to building and become so deadly in a city full of high-rise buildings that is usually safe and has strong building standards.
The latest ones are:
What’s happening: The fire has spread to seven towers at Wan Fuk Court, a public housing complex in Tai Po district where more than 4,000 people lived. Firefighters are continuing to extinguish fires in at least three towers of the complex, which had a disproportionately high proportion of elderly residents. There are currently concerns that the building may collapse.
The complex was being renovated and was covered with bamboo scaffolding and safety netting, a construction technique widely used in Hong Kong.
Serious injuries: As of 8 a.m. local time, at least 66 people were hospitalized, 17 in critical condition and 24 in critical condition.
Residents displaced: Hundreds of residents may now be homeless in a city with a severe housing shortage. Some residents may have been waiting years to build homes on public land. Approximately 900 people are currently in temporary evacuation centers.
Many people trapped: Firefighters trying to rescue people trapped in the upper floors of a burning building last night faced extremely high temperatures and falling debris that hampered rescue efforts, the fire department said. Last night, fire officials urged those trapped to seal doors and windows with tape and wet napkins.
China’s response: Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to the victims of the fire and earmarked 2 million yuan ($282,470) for emergency assistance from the Red Cross. Chinese tech giants Xiaomi and Tencent and apparel conglomerate Anta announced donations totaling $6.4 million to Hong Kong. Posts about the fires have been viewed more than 1 billion times in mainland China, where social media is heavily monitored by the government.
Investigation: The fire spread in an “unusual” manner and a criminal investigation has been launched, Security Secretary Chris Tan said. Hong Kong police announced that three people, two directors of a construction company and a consultant, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and charged with “gross negligence.” Authorities will also investigate whether the building materials meet fire safety standards.
HISTORIC DISASTER: The fire was declared a Level 5 fire, the highest rating used in one of the world’s most densely populated cities with the highest concentration of high-rise buildings. However, Hong Kong has maintained an excellent track record in terms of building safety, thanks to high-quality construction and strict enforcement of building regulations.
CNN’s Chris Lau, Jessie Yeung, Kevin Wang and Karina Tsui contributed reporting.
