TAI PO, HONG KONG — A catastrophic, rapid-spreading fire ripped through the expansive Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in at least 44 fatalities and 62 injuries. The blaze, which reached a rare Level Five classification, originated in the Wang Cheong House tower around 2:52 p.m., quickly escalating to consume the entire building before jumping to six adjacent structures. The profound scale of the tragedy led to the arrest of three individuals connected to the building’s maintenance contractor on Wednesday morning.
The conflagration sent towering columns of flame and smoke into the night sky, visible from as far away as Ma On Shan, accompanied by continuous explosion sounds that terrified residents. Despite the swift mobilization of emergency services, the fire proved notoriously difficult to contain, only yielding late into the night. Numerous residents were evacuated with the help of firefighters and paramedics, though many were initially reported missing. Authorities confirmed the grim toll early Wednesday, which tragically included the death of at least one firefighter in the line of duty.
Investigation Focuses on Flammable Materials
The intense speed and spread of the fire immediately raised suspicions among senior officials. Late Tuesday night, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Director of Fire Services Yeung Yun-kan revealed that investigators had identified a major concern: several windows in the affected units and the lift lobby windows on every floor of the blaze-stricken buildings were sealed with polystyrene foam boards.
These foam materials are highly flammable and are suspected to have acted as a crucial accelerant, facilitating the disastrous propagation of the flames across the dense residential towers. Officials described the widespread use of the foam as a “highly suspicious circumstance” contributing to the uncontrollable nature of the inferno.
Contractor Arrested for Manslaughter
The investigation quickly zeroed in on the maintenance company responsible for recent works at the estate. On Wednesday, April 27, Hong Kong Police arrested two directors and one engineering consultant from Wang Yip Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., the contractor overseeing external maintenance.
The individuals were apprehended on suspicion of manslaughter following severe negligence that led to significant loss of life and injury. Police are investigating whether the contractor’s protocols directly endangered residents by introducing dangerous, unapproved materials into the complex construction environment.
Records indicate that Wang Yip Construction had explicitly informed residents that they would use the foam boards as “protective measures” during exterior chipping work. A notice issued last October confirmed the company’s plan to use Foam Board to completely cover external windows to prevent debris and aggregate from impacting glass during facade maintenance.
While the notice stated the foam boards would be temporarily supplemented by canvas sheeting and timber boards, and removed promptly upon completion of chipping, the fire’s intensity suggests the flammable material was left exposed and contributed dramatically to the rapid vertical spread of the destructive fire.
Broader Safety Concerns Highlighted
The tragedy at Wang Fuk Court poses critical questions regarding construction safety oversight and the use of flammable materials in densely populated high-rise buildings across Hong Kong. Expert building safety consultants are likely to scrutinize protocols for temporary protective measures, particularly the use of highly combustible polymers like polystyrene foam in residential construction projects.
The incident underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement of material safety standards, especially when aesthetic or cost-saving measures could compromise the structural fire integrity of a building. Further police inquiry and a full public safety review are expected to address how such a dangerous practice was permitted on a large-scale renovation project, ensuring accountability and preventing future catastrophic events.
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