Death toll in Tai Po level five blaze rises to 83

The death toll in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court blaze has risen to 83, including one firefighter, the Fire Services Department said.

Lam Cheuk-ho, assistant chief ambulance officer (New Territories West) told reporters at a briefing that 155 casualties were handled and admitted to the hospital.

Among the casualties, 79 people were confirmed fatality at the scene and four people admitted to the hospital but died. 76 injured people were taken to the hospital for treatment. 11 fire personnel were injured in the operation and in stable condition, and one personnel died in the line of duty. 177 ambulances were deployed in the operation.

The firefighting operation is almost complete, and is expected to be done by midnight, said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director (operations) of the Fire Services Department.

He said the fire service department is carrying out operations to four individual units at 1am today (Nov. 28). Water spray cooling is being carried out on units in other seven blocks to prevent reignition.

Search and rescue operations will then proceed, including addressing 25 requests for assistance and conducting demolition work on all units in the seven affected buildings to ensure no one is trapped. Chan said the operation is expected to be completed by 9am tomorrow.

Chan said casualties are mostly found in Wan Cheong House and Wan Tai House. Polymeric foam was found at the fire scene and the Fire Services Department will form a team on its impact on the fire. An investigation into effective operation of fire protection systems will also be conducted.

“Difficulties in the operation included the fire spreading exceptionally rapidly to all the seven blocks, while debris and scaffolding falling from upper storeys, escalated the difficulties accessing affected buildings,” Chan said. 

He added emergency vehicles were also blocked by falling debris and scaffolding. High temperature, darkness in the building were also obstacles in the rescue.