At around 3 p.m. on the 26th (local time), a fire broke out at a high-rise apartment complex in the Tai Po area of northern Hong Kong, killing at least 36 people and leaving 279 missing.
The city's "Hong Kong landmark" bamboo scaffolding and green safety netting that wrapped the entire building for exterior wall repairs acted as kindling. The flames were contained, but with the number of missing nearing 300, the death toll is expected to rise. The blaze is set to be remembered as the worst disaster since the Garley Building fire in 1996, just before Hong Kong's handover, which killed 41 people.
According to a compilation of reports from the Ming Pao and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 27th, the fire started at about 2:52 p.m. on the 26th at the Wang Fuk Court apartment. The flames were brought under control only in the early hours of the 27th after an overnight firefighting operation. Chief Executive John Lee said in a briefing at the scene early on the 27th that "at least 36 people were killed and 279 are missing" in the fire. Twenty-nine were injured, seven of them in critical condition, leaving open the possibility of a higher death toll. Police arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire, and the case is under investigation.
According to announcements by the Hong Kong government and police, Wang Fuk Court, where the fire occurred, is a government-subsidized apartment complex that began occupancy in 1983. Roughly 2,000 households, at least more than 4,000 people, live in eight buildings. The fire is believed to have started on the building's exterior wall, where remodeling work was underway.
Witnesses said, "There was a bang, sparks flew, and the bamboo scaffolding caught fire and rained down from the height of the 10th to 20th floors." Hong Kong fire authorities raised the alarm level to level 5, the highest, immediately after the fire broke out. It is the first level 5 fire alarm in Hong Kong in 17 years since the 2008 Mong Kok fire.
Although 128 fire engines, 57 ambulances, and more than 800 firefighters were deployed, extinguishing took a long time. Hong Kong Fire Services Department Director Andy Yeung said, "Polystyrene (Styrofoam) boards blocking some windows burned, rapidly spreading the flames," and "extremely high interior temperatures on the upper floors made it difficult for rescue teams to enter at all." During the operation, 37-year-old firefighter Ho Wai-ho died in the line of duty.
Experts point to Hong Kong's distinctive bamboo scaffolding at construction sites as the main cause of the disaster. Hong Kong adheres to the traditional method of weaving bamboo to make work platforms instead of using steel frames even when building supertall towers. Bamboo is light, flexible, and inexpensive, but it is deadly in a fire.
Stephen Mackenzie, a fire and emergency planning consultant, said in a CNN interview on the 26th, "Even if bamboo scaffolding is treated to be somewhat flame-retardant, once a fire breaks out, it is ultimately a combustible material that burns well," adding, "It is hard to believe this happened under modern building codes."
Hong Kong authorities were also reportedly aware of the risks of bamboo scaffolding. In March, the Development Bureau announced plans to phase down the use of bamboo scaffolding and replace it with metal scaffolding due to safety concerns. But critics say the widespread continued use on sites made this a predictable man-made disaster.
Some outlets compared the Hong Kong fire to the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster in London. At the time, combustible cladding caused the fire to engulf the entire building in an instant, killing 72 people.
Another reason for the heavy toll was the residents' demographics. Public rental apartments like Wang Fuk Court have high proportions of low-income residents and older adults. Government statistics show about 36% of residents are 65 or older. It is highly likely that older adults with limited mobility could not evacuate in time from upper floors and perished.
Residents said the alarm system did not function properly during the fire. Reuters quoted a 10th-floor resident as saying, "The fire alarm did not sound. We only realized there was a fire after smelling smoke and a firefighter knocked on the door." The resident took shelter in the bathroom with a spouse, blocking the door gap with wet towels, and was rescued after holding out.
China's central government reacted immediately. According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, upon being briefed on the accident, ordered authorities to "mobilize all capabilities to minimize casualties and make every effort to handle the aftermath."
The Hong Kong government set up temporary shelters at schools and community centers to house more than 900 displaced residents. The Housing Department said it secured more than 3,400 temporary dwellings for affected residents. Nearby schools closed or shifted to online classes on the 27th.
The disaster struck just ahead of the Legislative Council election scheduled for Dec. 7. Hong Kong's punishing home prices and housing shortage, and safety problems in aging public housing, are chronic sources of public discontent. The fire has put lax government oversight on the chopping block, stirring public sentiment. Major parties temporarily suspended their campaign activities and moved to mourn the victims.
Chief Executive John Lee said, "This fire is a catastrophe," and promised to "form a special investigation team comprising police, fire services, and the Housing Department to thoroughly determine the cause." Lee stressed that the probe will focus in particular on whether safety rules were violated during remodeling work or illegal materials were used.