A devastating fire swept through multiple buildings in the Hung Fuk Court residential complex in Hong Kong, leaving at least 44 people dead and hundreds more unaccounted for in what authorities describe as one of the city’s worst peacetime tragedies.
Hong Kong leader John Lee confirmed the rising death toll early Thursday, following the massive blaze that tore through eight residential towers in the northern Tai Po district on Wednesday. Lee revealed that at least 279 residents remain missing, while 29 people have been hospitalized, including seven in critical condition.
Firefighters battled throughout the night as thick black smoke engulfed the 31-storey buildings, and bright orange flames lit up the skyline. Many residents were trapped inside their apartments, unable to escape as the fire spread rapidly through the high-rise blocks.
Emergency crews worked tirelessly to rescue residents while attempting to contain the blaze, which burned with intense heat for hours. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, while search and rescue operations continue for the hundreds who have yet to be located.
The Hung Fuk Court inferno marks one of the deadliest residential disasters in Hong Kong’s recent history, prompting sorrow, shock, and urgent calls for strengthened building safety measures across the city.
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