"Offering Comfort to Victims and Their Families"
"Maximizing Support for Search, Rescue, Medical Care, and Relief Efforts"
Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his condolences to the victims of the Hong Kong apartment fire and to the firefighter who lost his life in the line of duty.
According to Xinhua News Agency on November 26, President Xi conveyed his condolences to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee regarding the firefighter who died while on duty, and instructed him to offer words of comfort to the families of the victims and those affected.
Firefighters are extinguishing a fire that broke out at Wong Fuk Court in Tai Po District, northern Hong Kong. Photo by AP Yonhap News.
President Xi also directed the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Communist Party Central Committee and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong to provide full support to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in its firefighting efforts. He emphasized the need to maximize support for the search and rescue of victims, medical treatment, and relief activities, and called on relevant departments and local governments to supply necessary materials and resources. He requested that casualties and losses from the fire be minimized.
On November 25, a massive fire broke out at the Wing Fuk Court apartment complex in the Tai Po area of northern Hong Kong. According to multiple Chinese media outlets, 44 people died, 45 were injured, and 279 remain missing. Among the deceased was a firefighter who died while battling the blaze. Built in 1983, this aging apartment complex consists of eight 31-story buildings, housing about 2,000 households and approximately 4,800 residents. The fire spread to seven of the eight buildings, and the fire authorities deployed tour buses to evacuate residents. Nearby buildings, including schools, were opened as temporary shelters, accommodating around 900 people.
Fire trucks and police cars are dispatched to extinguish a fire that broke out in Wong Fuk Court, Tai Po District, northern Hong Kong. Photo by AP Yonhap News.
At the time of the fire, the building had been undergoing large-scale renovations for over a year. In particular, bamboo scaffolding and construction safety nets installed on the exterior walls contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, resulting in a major disaster. Hong Kong police, who have launched an investigation, discovered waterproof covers and plastic sheets on the building's exterior and suspect that failure to meet fire safety standards led to the fire's rapid escalation.
Two directors of the construction company responsible for the Hong Kong apartment project and one engineering consultant have been arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter.
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department deployed 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances, raising the fire alarm to the highest level, Level 5. In total, 767 firefighters and paramedics, 400 police officers, and more than 1,000 rescue workers were mobilized.
According to multiple Chinese media reports, as there are still people unaccounted for after the fire, and some residents were unable to escape from the high-rise buildings, the number of casualties is expected to rise.
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