Devastating Fire in Hong Kong: Death Toll Rises to 55
The death toll from the devastating fire that ravaged the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district (northern Hong Kong) has risen to 55, the fire department announced on Thursday, marking one of the worst fires the city has seen in decades. A previous tally reported 44 deaths, before authorities confirmed that 51 people had died at the scene of the fire, and 4 others had died in the hospital.
Fire Extinguished in 4 Buildings
The fire, which initially broke out in bamboo scaffolding on the facades, spread to 7 of the 8 towers in the residential complex, which consists of several 31-story buildings comprising 1984 apartments. Firefighters reported that the fire was completely extinguished in 4 buildings, and was now under control in the other three towers. Over 1200 firefighters and rescue workers participated in the rescue operations.
Derek Armstrong Chan, Deputy Director of Fire Services, indicated that the intense heat, falling debris, and collapse of scaffolding made access to the upper floors extremely difficult, especially at night. The government reported that 61 injured people were still hospitalized, including 15 in critical condition. The Indonesian Consulate announced that two Indonesian domestic workers were among the victims of the fire.
