Deadly Hong Kong Fire: At Least 36 Killed, 279 Missing

Deadly Hong Kong Fire

After‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ a large fire that tore through a crowded district on Thursday night, Hong Kong fire authorities have confirmed at least 36 deaths.

279 other people are still missing as rescue teams are looking for them in the damaged structures and debris. The officials called the event one of the most severe urban disasters the city has recorded in recent years.

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Hong Kong fire started in a tightly packed and kind of old commercial area with narrow alleys and a lot of people in the evening. Locals had already seen the fire going up the stairs and spreading from one floor to another before the firefighters arrived.

A lot of those people who were trapped and had no air inside tried to get out but could not because the passages were ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌blocked.

Hong Kong firefighters struggled for hours to gain control over the fire. More than 300 responders, including search and medical officers, were sent by the authorities.

The local hospitals opened emergency units to provide the necessary treatment to the victims of burns, broken bones, and smoke inhalation. Officials warned that the death toll might increase as the search goes ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌on.

Investigators‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ have not pinpointed the cause of the Hong Kong ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌fire; however, the initial local fire department report mentions that the fire could have started as a result of an electrical fault or even perhaps a structural failure.

The affected building, which dates back to more than 40 years, has been noted for safety concerns in previous inspections. The Chief Fire Officer of the territory said that the inspectors need to do a structural assessment which they will do first before the rescue teams will be allowed to go to the deeper parts of the site.

The families gathered at the site, eager to get news of their missing relatives. Quite a few of them lamented the slow pace of the rescue operation.

To facilitate the registration of the missing and the identification of those found, police officers have established a temporary support center. Social workers were sent out to help those in shock and lead their relatives through the identification process.

The Hong Kong ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌fire, according to the authorities, unveiled the government’s difficulty in dealing with issues that have been there for a long time due to the old infrastructure and overcrowding of the old districts.

Some of the housing blocks around the area date back to the time before the modern fire safety regulations were introduced. Emergency exits, sprinklers, and ventilation systems in many buildings have not been updated to meet the latest ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌standards.

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Officials‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ of the federal government declared that a formal investigation panel will examine the failures of compliance and will suggest the reforms. The city’s chief executive, on her part, committed a “transparent and urgent review” of the safety codes.

Besides, she instructed the departments in charge of the inspection to carry out high-risk buildings across Hong Kong within ten days. The loudest voices have it that past examinations did not result in actual reforms.

International watchers were on the story as movies of the Hong Kong fire were going viral online. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) made a very short statement recommending cities to reinforce the safety of buildings. UNDRR

Rescuers didn’t stop their work until the morning. To clear the debris, heavy machines were brought in while drones were locating the damaged areas.

The officials informed that because some parts of the building are still unsafe, they have to slow down the operations. The fire brigade told the people to stay away from the scene in order to give them free access to do their ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌work.

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Hong Kong fire has brought back the debate about the city’s emergency preparedness. Advocacy groups consider that it is necessary to invest in older districts in order to lower the risks.

They reference the past tragedies such as the fire that took place in 2019 in Kowloon and resulted in the death of 19 people. Even though there have been examinations made after that calamity, structural hazards are still quite common.

Various local media have reported that there have been illegal renovations in old buildings. Such changes usually lead to the reduction of ventilation and disappearance of some parts of exit routes, thus, making evacuation more difficult in the case of a fire.

The government inspectors have been finding it hard to ensure the execution of the law because there are not enough officers and it takes time for the different departments to communicate with each other and make decisions.

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ situation of the Labour and Welfare Bureau, which was the cause of the Hong Kong ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌fire, was very serious.

They took the initiative to set up temporary shelters for those people who had to abandon their homes. The non-governmental organizations were responsible for the distribution of food, water, and bedding among the survivors and the people who lost their homes.

The doctors and nurses made a public call for the donation of blood that was urgently needed in the hospitals due to the increase in demand.

Authorities‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ are likely to provide revised casualty figures towards the end of the week. The emphases of the work are still on searching and recovery. Emergency personnel have said that the next 48 hours will be very important as they will be able to physically check every part of the buildings.

The Hong Kong ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌fire has deeply touched the whole nation and has become a very sad moment of the people. The flags on government offices will be at half-mast as the city will be observing three days of mourning. Clergy members announced that public prayer sessions will be held in memory of the victims.

Authorities‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ have urged residents to exercise caution and to inform them if they find any unsafe buildings in their areas.

According to safety agencies, the owners of the buildings must not lose sleep over this and they should very well check their electrical installations, get rid of the rubbish that is lying in the hallways, and ensure that the fire escapes are open.

Officials have indicated that, indeed, prevention remains the most effective means of stopping the occurrence of tragedies like the Hong Kong ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌fire.