A devastating fire at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court residential complex this week has claimed 94 lives, marking one of the deadliest urban disasters in recent memory. 🔥 The blaze, which erupted Wednesday afternoon during building renovations, spread rapidly through scaffolding wrapped in flammable materials, engulfing six of the complex's eight towers.
Three renovation contractors were arrested Thursday on suspicion of manslaughter as investigators identified safety shortcuts. 🚓 Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has also launched a probe into the renovation project's compliance standards.
Over 100 ambulances raced to the scene as firefighters battled flames through the night. By Friday morning, the inferno was fully contained, with search teams combing the charred buildings for survivors. 🚒
Chief Executive John Lee announced immediate relief measures: • 10,000 HKD cash grants per affected household 💵 • 9 emergency shelters opened immediately 🏠 • 1,800 transitional housing units pledged for long-term support
The tragedy has triggered city-wide safety inspections of all construction scaffolding. 'We must prevent such heartbreak from ever recurring,' Lee stated during a press briefing. 💔
Built in 1983, Wang Fuk Court housed nearly 4,000 residents in nearly 2,000 units. Many survivors lost everything but the clothes they wore during evacuation. Community donation drives are now underway across Hong Kong. 🤝
