A level 5 fire broke out at Hong Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong. As of the morning of November 28, the death toll had soared to 94 with more than 70 injured, making it the most serious fire in Hong Kong in over 70 years. The incident has attracted considerable international attention, with foreign media highlighting the cause of the incident, post-disaster arrangements for displaced victims, and Hong Kong citizens' reactions to what outsiders are calling the 'fire of the century.'
According to a comprehensive report by Hong Kong 01, a severe fire broke out at Hong Fuk Court in Tai Po on Wednesday. The blaze rapidly worsened and was eventually raised by the Fire Services Department to a category 5 alarm. This marks Hong Kong’s third category 5 alarm since the Garley Building fire in 1996 and the Cornwall Court fire in 2008.
'Fire of the Century': Most Severe in 77 Years
In this regard, foreign media such as Al Jazeera have described the Hong Fuk Court fire as 'the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in a century.' Judging by the current casualty figures, the fire has become the most serious since the Wing On company warehouse fire in 1948. Back then, on September 22, an explosion occurred at the Wing On company warehouse in Sai Wan. Since there were residences above the warehouse, many people could not escape and perished in the flames, resulting in 176 deaths and 69 injuries.
The deadliest fire in Hong Kong’s history occurred 107 years ago, when a fire at the racecourse in Happy Valley in 1918 caused over 600 deaths.
Arrangements for Disaster Victims
U.S. media has focused on post-disaster arrangements for displaced victims. Although the extent of damage to Hong Fuk Court has not yet been determined, the fire will leave a large number of people homeless, especially as the largest demographic in Hong Fuk Court is residents aged 65 and above. The difficulties they face after being displaced and losing their property have also been a key concern of international media.
Some evacuated residents, interviewed by U.S. media, said that one had just purchased the flat in March and spent 8 months renovating it, preparing to move in. The resident said helplessly: “Now everything is destroyed by fire.”
Chief Executive John Lee announced on the 27th a series of post-disaster measures, including prioritizing transitional housing and designated public housing, with a total of about 1,800 units expected to meet the short-term accommodation needs of the victims. Each affected household will also immediately receive an emergency subsidy of HKD10,000 (5,311 ringgit).
Anger Among Residents Becomes Foreign Media’s Focus
In addition, foreign media such as the UK's The Guardian have also focused on residents' anger. Reports indicate that the public believes that the true cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and blaming the fire on the bamboo scaffolding is not appropriate.
The reports further noted that residents are angry over a series of inappropriate events, including the use of non-fire-compliant materials in renovation works and flammable foam being stuck to the building's glass windows, which caused the fire to spread rapidly. In addition, videos circulating online showing workers allegedly smoking on-site have also triggered public anger.