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Hong Kong Blaze Kills 44, Three Arrested on Manslaughter Charges
HONG KONG – Three individuals connected to a construction company have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following a devastating high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong that has claimed at least 44 lives and left 279 missing. This incident marks the city’s deadliest fire in years, with 62 others sustaining injuries, many from burns and smoke inhalation.
The inferno, which ignited Wednesday afternoon, rapidly engulfed seven of the eight buildings within the residential complex. By Thursday morning, four of the towers were brought under control, according to the city’s fire services.
Among the deceased is a 37-year-old firefighter, a nine-year veteran of the force. Fire Services Department Director Andy Yeung expressed profound sorrow, stating, “All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade.”
While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials believe the flames originated on the external scaffolding of a 32-story tower. The blaze then spread inwards and to neighboring buildings, likely exacerbated by windy conditions. Live video footage from the Tai Po district showed a massive column of flames and thick smoke rising from the bamboo scaffolding, with firefighters battling the intense inferno from ladder trucks as red-hot embers rained down.
Fire chiefs noted that the extreme temperatures at the scene presented significant challenges for rescue operations. Authorities suspect that some external wall materials within the high-rise buildings may not have met fire resistance standards, contributing to the unusual speed of the fire’s spread.
Further police investigation uncovered highly flammable Styrofoam materials near elevator lobbies on each floor of an unaffected tower, believed to have been installed by a construction company. “We have reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent,” stated Eileen Chung, a senior superintendent of police. The three arrested men, aged 52 to 68, include directors and an engineering consultant from the firm.
The fire, initially reported in the mid-afternoon, was escalated to a Level 5 alarm by nightfall, the highest severity rating. Over 140 fire trucks and more than 60 ambulances were deployed to the scene.
Police received numerous reports of residents trapped inside the affected buildings. The housing complex, built in the 1980s, comprises eight blocks with nearly 2,000 apartments, housing approximately 4,800 people, and was undergoing major renovations. Around 900 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters.
Lo Hiu-fung, a Tai Po District Council member, told local TV that many of the trapped residents were believed to be elderly. The Hong Kong Fire Services Department urged nearby residents to “stay indoors and close doors and windows and stay calm and avoid going to areas affected by fire incidents.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended condolences to the fallen firefighter and expressed sympathy to the victims’ families, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. Tai Po is a suburban area in northern Hong Kong, close to the border with Shenzhen.
This devastating incident surpasses the November 1996 commercial building fire in Kowloon, which killed 41 people in a Level 5 blaze that raged for nearly 20 hours.