• Source:JND
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Hong Kong Fire: A massive fire tore through the high-rise towers of Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, leaving residents terrified, displaced, and scrambling to save lives. The inferno, which struck late Wednesday night, destroyed homes, memories, and livelihoods, prompting chaotic evacuations and spontaneous community efforts to locate missing people. 

Local resident Shirley Chan described the devastation as nearly impossible to process. “Imagine a home, gone, burnt. Anyone would be heartbroken. I can relate to that; it’s truly heartbreaking,” she said. Many residents reported feeling helpless as flames consumed entire floors. A 65-year-old man, Yuen, who had lived in the community for over 40 years, said, “The windows were closed because of maintenance. Some people didn’t even know there was a fire and had to be told to evacuate by neighbours. I’m devastated.”

Neighbours Step Up Amid Chaos

As the fire raged, residents like Kwok took it upon themselves to alert neighbours, rushing from door to door despite the thick smoke. “I saw the flames draw closer; it was burning red, and my heart was burning too,” she said. Many reported that no fire alarms had sounded during the crisis. By morning, displaced residents were already organising relief efforts, creating WhatsApp groups and interactive “SOS maps” powered by Google forms to track the hundreds still unaccounted for, moving faster than official government updates.

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On the fourth floor of Tower F, an elderly woman in her 90s had stopped responding, while on the 18th floor of Tower B, a young child appeared to be home alone. On the 27th floor of Tower E, one person was confirmed dead. Even pets were trapped, including nine cats and a dog on one floor. Volunteer Logan Yeung, 29, helped coordinate rescues, attributing the disaster partly to construction and maintenance issues.

Close Calls And Rescues

For many residents, including 74-year-old Tong Pingmoon, it was a close call for survival. Underestimating the danger at the beginning, Tong and his wife shut themselves in the bathroom, blocking the smoke with wet towels while calling for help. Firefighters reached them at sunset. “We were so lucky. It was pitch dark. We wouldn’t have made it if we had to head out by ourselves,” he said. 

The Deputy Director of Fire Services, Derek Armstrong Chan, highlighted how the rescuers were facing extreme challenges. “The temperatures inside are very high, making it difficult for us to enter and conduct operations.” Neighbours and volunteers worked tirelessly to evacuate residents, distribute supplies, and check on the vulnerable.

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