As Hong Kong reels from its deadliest blaze in nearly eight decades, the scale of the loss is coming sharply into focus – and with it the stories of ordinary people whose daily routines were overturned in minutes.
Wang Fuk Court was home to 4,643 people, according to 2021 census data. Children under 15 made up just over 9 per cent of residents, while those 65 and above were the largest group, accounting for more than a third of the estate.
The estate is part of the long-running Home Ownership Scheme, which allows eligible lower- and middle-income residents to buy subsidised units at discounted prices. Flats are sold below market value but come with resale restrictions to keep them affordable.
The blaze that started at Wang Fuk Court moved fast, engulfing seven of the complex’s eight towers within minutes. The final flames were only extinguished on Friday, 40 hours on.
Fire services received the first report at 2.52pm on Nov 26, when flames broke out on the lower floors of Wang Cheong House.
Officials later said a burning construction safety net and ignited styrofoam panels drove the fire rapidly up the facade and into the units, making rescue efforts far more difficult.
Explosions could be heard across the estate throughout the first night of the fire. Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang said they were caused by styrofoam catching fire and windows bursting under extreme heat.
Residents told CNA that the styrofoam had been affixed to the outside of some windows as a protective measure during construction works, to prevent the glass from being damaged.
The speed and intensity of the fire left many residents, especially the elderly, suddenly defenceless, trapped inside homes they had lived in for decades.
One man who feared his wife had died in the blaze stood by the cordon for hours, telling reporters he hoped at least “to see her ashes”.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/wang-fuk-court-tai-po-hong-kong-fire-5496961
