Search Under Way for Survivors After Hong Kong High-Rise Blaze Claims 75 Lives

Rescue crews in Hong Kong are racing against time to find survivors after a devastating fire swept through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district, leaving at least 75 people dead and more than 250 unaccounted for as of the latest update.

The blaze erupted Wednesday afternoon and quickly engulfed seven of the complex’s eight 31-storey towers. Officials have arrested three individuals from the construction company overseeing recent renovation work at the estate, including two directors and an engineering consultant, on suspicion of gross negligence.

Firefighters say they are still unable to reach some of the upper floors due to intense heat, thick smoke and structural instability. The spread of the inferno has been blamed in part on flammable materials used in scaffolding and cladding during renovation.

More than 900 residents have been displaced; many are now sheltering in temporary accommodations as authorities begin structural inspections across other residential estates under renovation. A government-launched aid fund is being prepared for affected families.

The fire, described as the deadliest in Hong Kong in decades, has triggered citywide outrage and demands for accountability, with public scrutiny now focused on building-safety regulations and enforcement in older housing estates undergoing maintenance.

Source- The Guardian, BBC News