Hong Kong High-ring Fire: 3 Arrested, at least 44 dead and 279 missing – nationwide

Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades burned through the night, leaving at least 44 people dead and 279 reported missing with rescuers still urging residents to evacuate high-rise apartment buildings in the morning.

Police have arrested three men on suspicion of murder in connection with a fire that broke out on Wednesday afternoon at a housing estate in New District. On Thursday morning local time, the fire was about to be extinguished and saved.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the fire spread across the seven towers of the Wang Fuk courthouse, with bright flames and smoke billowing from windows.

Forty of the 44 killed died at the scene, officials said. At least 62 others were injured, many suffering from burns and injuries.

Authorities suspect some materials on the exterior walls of high-rise buildings did not meet fire resistance standards, as the spread of fire is common.

Police said they found visible objects – highly flammable – outside windows on each floor near the affected tower, believed to have been installed by a construction company.

“We have reason to believe that those in charge of this construction company had a very serious issue,” said Eileen Chung, chief of police. The three suspects arrested, aged between 52 and 68, are directors and an engineering consultant of the firm.

The fire in four of the buildings was contained by Thursday morning, according to the fire services department.

Authorities said the fire started in the exterior of one of the buildings, tower 32, and later spread inside the building and blamed on windy conditions.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed his condolences to the dead firefighter and sympathized with the families of the victims, according to state CCTV. He also called for efforts to reduce injuries and losses.

John Lee, the city manager, said that the Government will prioritize the crisis and stop the public efforts for the December 7 election of the Legislative Council, the city’s legislature. He did not say the election could be delayed but said decisions would come “a few days later.”

The housing complex consisted of eight buildings with approximately 2,000 homes and approximately 4,800 homes, including senior citizens. It was built in the 1980s and has recently undergone a major renovation.

Fire chiefs said high temperatures at the scene made it difficult for crews to carry out rescue operations. A column of flames and black smoke rose as the flames quickly spread to the bamboo scaffolding and construction netting set up outside the buildings. About 900 people were evicted from temporary housing.

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Authorities say hundreds of firefighters, police and paramedics were dispatched. Firefighters are aiming water at the large flames from the top of a ladder truck.

The blaze, which first started in the afternoon, was upgraded to Alarm 5 – the highest level of severity – as night fell. Authorities say conditions remain extremely difficult for firefighters.

“Debris and scaffolding of the affected buildings (is) falling down,” said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of fire service operations. “The temperature inside the affected buildings is very high. It is difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs to carry out firefighting and rescue operations.” The Fire Department said it was receiving “calls” asking for help.

Firefighters sent more than 200 fire engines and 100 ambulances to the scene.

A 37-year-old firefighter was among the dead, while another firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, said Fire Chief Andy Yeung.

District authorities in Tai Po have opened temporary shelters for people left homeless by the fire.

“I stopped thinking about my property,” a resident who gave only his surname, Wu, told a local TV station. “Watching it burn like that was really frustrating.”

Tai Po is a sourdough place in the new suburbs, in the northern part of Hong Kong and near the border with the Chinese mainland of Shenzhen.

Bamboo Scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong in Hong Kong in building construction projects and rehabilitation projects, although the government said earlier this year that it will start doing public projects due to concerns.

The fire is Hong Kong’s deadliest in decades. In November 1996, 41 people died in a commercial building in Kowloon in a stage 5 fire that lasted about 20 hours.

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