• Source:JND
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Hong Kong Fire: A hyperlapse video that has gone viral on social media has captured the horrifying moment a massive fire tore through multiple residential towers in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, showing flames racing across the Wang Fuk Court complex within minutes. The disaster, one of the deadliest urban fires in Hong Kong's recent history, has now claimed 65 lives, left 45 critically injured, and more than 270 residents remain missing.

The blaze erupted around 2:50 pm (local time) on Wednesday at the Wang Fuk Court estate, a cluster of eight identical 31-storey buildings housing nearly 2,000 apartments. The complex, located in the northern New Territories, was undergoing renovation and had been enveloped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh netting.

The hyperlapse footage shows how the flames leapt from one tower to another, engulfing as many as eight blocks in rapid succession. Witnesses said winds carried burning debris between buildings, while the bamboo scaffolding acted as a conduit for the fire.

Residents described moments of panic and confusion as smoke poured into their homes. "The windows were sealed because of the maintenance work," said a 65-year-old resident surnamed Yuen. "Some people didn't even know there was a fire until neighbours called to warn them. I'm devastated," he added.

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Hong Kong Fire: Three Arrested

Authorities announced early Thursday that three men aged between 52 and 68 had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Police allege that highly flammable materials left unsecured during maintenance work enabled the blaze to accelerate beyond control.

Fire officials are now examining whether the extensive use of bamboo scaffolding, which has long been criticised for fire risks, contributed to the inferno's rapid spread. Despite previous government warnings following a similar fire last October, the Wang Fuk Court complex remained wrapped in bamboo rather than fire-resistant steel scaffolding.

Deputy director of fire service operations Derek Armstrong Chan said that strong winds and collapsing bamboo structures intensified the spread of the blaze. "The temperature at the scene is extremely high," he said, adding that some upper floors remained inaccessible. "We will keep trying to reach those who requested help," he said.

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