FIREFIGHTERS continued battling a massive blaze Thursday that tore through a Hong Kong high-rise complex, claiming at least 44 lives and leaving hundreds unaccounted for, officials said.
The fire, described as the city’s most severe in decades, erupted Wednesday afternoon in an eight-building housing estate comprising around 2,000 apartments, shocking a city known for its dense and towering residential blocks.
Authorities said early Thursday that three men were arrested in connection with the fire after flammable materials left during ongoing maintenance caused the blaze to spread uncontrollably.
AFP reporters at the scene just after dawn observed that some apartments were still burning, although the flames had diminished since the early hours.
The fire initially ignited on bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings in Wang Fuk Court, located in the northern Tai Po district, which was undergoing estate-wide repairs.
Witnesses reported loud cracking from burning bamboo and saw thick smoke, high-reaching flames, and ash.
A 65-year-old resident, surnamed Yuen, who has lived in the complex for over 40 years, expressed concern for elderly neighbors who may have struggled to evacuate.
“The windows were closed because of the maintenance. Some people didn’t know there was a fire and had to be alerted by neighbors over the phone,” Yuen said.
The Hong Kong Fire Department confirmed the death toll at 44 on Thursday morning, including a 37-year-old firefighter found with facial burns after losing contact with his team.
City leader John Lee reported that 279 people were initially unaccounted for, although contact was later established with some of them. Over 900 residents have sought refuge in temporary shelters, with authorities still tracking missing persons as more people report in.
Deputy Fire Service Operations Director Derek Armstrong Chan said that some floors remained inaccessible due to extreme heat. He added that the fire may have spread between buildings due to wind and debris, and the cause is under investigation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the victims, including the fallen firefighter, and urged efforts to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties, according to state media.
Lee said the government is fully mobilized to assist affected residents and expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.