author: Tyler Durden
The horrifying death toll rises after a cluster of advanced Hong Kong residential skyscrapers was consumed by hell on Wednesday: at least 44 people were killed, but around 279 are inactive missing. In what is already the bloodiest building in Hong Kong from above 50 years. The allegations of gross negligence were directed against a construction company that repairs a immense complex, and The authorities have already arrested 3 men related to this company.
A fire in Wang Fuk Court's flat complex in the northern Tai Po territory of Hong Kong broke out on Wednesday afternoon. The property can boast 8 32-story skyscrapers in which about 2,000 apartments and about 4,800 inhabitants. Built in the 1980s, Most of the complex was covered with bamboo scaffolding and mesh-wrapped, as a major external renovation continued.
Even in 2025 is widely utilized in construction works in Hong Kong, where workers usage clamp bands to bind poles, erecting lattice from cheap, fast-growing, solid wood even for large projects. This hazard was already seen — in March Hong Kong improvement authorities have issued a directive requiring at least 50% government construction projects usage metallic scaffoldingwhich was seen as an crucial step in the final withdrawal of the manufacture from long-term dependence on bamboo.
The fire is believed to have started straight on the scaffolding, and officials fishy that various non-compliant renovation materials have enabled an highly fast spread of the fire from the building to the building. Wind conditions besides played a role. Over 200 fire brigade vehicles and another 100 ambulances were dispatched to the fire. In a worrying dimension, the complex is home to many older people. Deputy Fire manager Derek Armstrong Chan described a immense challengein front of the paramedics:
"Grout and scaffolding affected buildings (are) collapse. The temperature inside the buildings is very high. It's hard for us to get into the building and go upstairs to drive. fire and rescue actions."
Even erstwhile firefighters faced a hercular challenge of simultaneously extinguishing many tower fires, the authorities rapidly noticed disturbing observations throughout the complex, and the tower saved from the fire allowed them to get to know the materials and methods utilized by the construction company during the renovation. For example, investigators say they found highly flammable Styrofoam attached to windows on each level close the lobby of an elevator building that was not under low control.
"We have reason to believe that those liable for the construction company were grossly negligent,"She said Eileen Chung, a advanced police official, and this negligence "has led to this accident, The fast spread of fire and so serious casualties."Police arrested 3 men aged 52 to 68; two These are the directors of the construction company, and the 3rd is an engineering consultant employed by the company. Arrests take place erstwhile each of them is officially suspected of manslaughter.
Early Thursday morning, erstwhile the fires were mostly contained after 18 hours of dangerous firemen's work, the smoke continued to emergence from charred buildings, and the fires were inactive visible in various places. respective 100 people were evacuated. In addition to the dead and missing, at least 62 people were injured, many suffered burns and smoke inhalation. Observers are afraid about what will happen erstwhile searching for charred tower skeletons in the coming days and weeks.
According to the authoritative message of the Chinese government, President Xi Jinping "committed condolences" and "called for all efforts to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties and losses." Beyond human tragedy, This disaster is surely a humiliation for Xi and his government — and we would not be amazed if there were further arrests, repressions against illegal building materials and practices, and the accelerated elimination of ubiquitous bamboo scaffolds in Hong Kong.
Translated by Google Translator
Source:https://www.zerohedge.com/
