In a heartbreaking statement, Mr. Chung’s last words to his wife were Hang in there, before a catastrophic fire engulfed their high-rise public housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. The disaster, which occurred on a Wednesday afternoon, saw the building engulfed in flames within minutes, with reports indicating that thick smoke made escape nearly impossible.
When Mr. Chung received a panicked call from his wife, he rushed home, only to find the building already ablaze. Firefighters battled the fire for nearly 24 hours, ultimately claiming at least 128 lives with around 300 individuals still unaccounted for. Among them is Mr. Chung’s wife, who was home during the fire.
As the community reels from this tragedy, many families are left waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones. Survivors, including Mr. Chung, described the chaotic moments of the evacuation, noting that no alarm went off to warn residents of the danger. Heartbreakingly, Mr. Chung recalls his wife’s voice wavering as she struggled to breathe through the increasing smoke.
With the causes of the fire still under investigation, initial findings suggest that flammable materials used in recent renovations may have played a role in the rapid spread of the flames. The incident is being deemed the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in over 60 years, sparking outrage and a call for accountability regarding fire safety regulations.
As families like Mr. Chung's grapple with uncertainty and grief, the authorities insist that they have not given up hope of finding survivors. We haven't given up, they affirmed, as the search continues amid the ruins of a once vibrant community.
