Fire at Wang Fu Court Complex Claims 128 Lives

Authorities in Hong Kong have updated the death toll from a massive fire at the Wang Fu Court apartment complex to 128, as rescue operations are wrapping up.

The blaze ignited on Wednesday afternoon (local time) in an eight-story building located in Tai Po City, which was undergoing renovations. Initial reports indicate that highly flammable polystyrene foam used in the renovation was the likely cause, leading the fire to spread rapidly across seven of the eight buildings. Firefighters battled the flames for over 43 hours.

However, the precise cause of the fire hasn’t been disclosed yet.

Chris Tan, Hong Kong’s security chief, shared that search and rescue operations concluded early Friday, confirming the death toll of 128, which includes Ho Wai Ho, a 37-year-old firefighter who lost his life while trying to manage the fire. This incident is now regarded internationally as the deadliest in Hong Kong since the 1948 fire at the Wing On warehouse, which resulted in 176 fatalities.

A woman, identified as Ms. Lam, expressed her concerns: “All warnings had been canceled due to exterior renovation work. Therefore, there was no warning to inform the entire population. Many elderly people were taking their afternoon sleep. So no one knew,” she told Sky News.

She added, “Everyone is trapped inside the house when they realize that the fire has already destroyed everything and they can’t escape. It’s actually a catastrophe.” Fortunately, her father managed to survive the fire.

This dense housing complex comprised around 2,000 apartments and housed between 4,500 and 4,800 residents.

According to a report from the South China Morning Post, 16 bodies remain in the building, while around 200 residents are still unaccounted for. The fire left 79 people injured, including 11 firefighters.

BBC reports that the fire alarms in all eight buildings were malfunctioning during the incident. Residents of the affected building have expressed frustration over the alarms’ failure when the fire began.

In response to the tragedy, police have arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction and Engineering, the firm contracted for the renovation. They’ve been charged with manslaughter and “gross negligence” due to the use of hazardous building materials. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong announced plans to investigate the incident further.

On Friday morning, the ICAC also revealed the arrest of a high-ranking executive from Will Power Architects Company Limited, the consulting firm overseeing the maintenance work.