‘I am devastated’: Hong Kong residents in disbelief after fire destroys blocks of flats

“When you get closer the heat rises and you can feel it and the smoke is really heavy.”

Student Thomas Liu was one of many people drawn to the scene of a deadly fire that tore through much of the eight-block Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district.

At least 44 people have died in Wednesday’s devastating blaze so far, and with hundreds still missing it’s expected this number will rise. The cause is not yet known, but three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter connected to flammable materials, including mesh and plastic sheets, that may have allowed the fire to spread quickly.

“It’s a disaster,” Thomas said of the fire, telling the BBC he had seen a body being taken away.

“Many people sent us WhatsApp messages or called us, saying they still have relatives inside or can’t find them,” Mui Siu-fung, a councillor for the Tai Po district, told BBC Chinese.

More than a thousand other people were forced to evacuate the estate as the flames spread, with some heading to centres that have been set up to house them. Police also moved people from nearby buildings.

The fire was gradually being contained but officials said they did not know when it would be fully extinguished. Flames could be seen coming from individual apartments as many people watched on in silence.

One woman said her friends live inside the building and she was waiting to hear if they managed to get out.

Harry Cheung, who has lived in block two of the Wang Fuk Court complex for more than 40 years, told Reuters he heard “a very loud noise” and saw fire erupt in a nearby block.

“I immediately went back to pack up my things,” the 66-year-old resident said.

“I don’t even know how I feel right now. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight because I probably won’t be able to go back home.”

A woman in her sixties, whose surname is Kam and who lives in the adjacent Kwong Fuk Estate, told the South China Morning Post (SCMP) that several of her friends living in Wang Fuk Court had been accounted for – but not all.

One friend has daily afternoon naps and may have been sleeping when the fire broke out at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT), Ms Kam said, adding that the woman’s daughters have not yet been able to contact her.

Another resident, 65-year-old Jason Kong, told Reuters that a neighbour called him and said he was still trapped inside one of the tower blocks.

“I am devastated. There are so many neighbours and friends. I do not know what is going on anymore. Look, all the apartments are just burning. I do not know what to do. I hope the government can help us to settle down after this.”

An elderly woman who lives in one of the affected blocks told the BBC she was not at home when the fire broke out but that she was worried about her apartment because it was not insured.

“I’m very upset that I have no home to go to now,” she said.

While the cause of the fire that engulfed the multiple high-rise blocks was unknown, police say a mesh material and plastic sheets were found outside the buildings – both of which are not believed to be fireproof.

Styrofoam was also found on the building’s windows. These materials may have caused the fire to spread more quickly, said police.

Some people have expressed anger that such a massive fire could have happened and criticised the response.

“When there’s a wildfire, they will deploy helicopters and drop water bombs, but why is there no such deployment and how can they leave other buildings burning?” Ms Poon, another resident of Wang Fuk Court, who is in her sixties, asked.

“The community is so close to the fire station and we thought the fire could be put out soon, but now the fire has spread. I’m so disappointed,” she told the SCMP.

Ms Poon noted that she had been given no instructions from the government on where to seek help.

The BBC spoke to some Tai Po residents who had brought supplies to the victims and affected residents – including dozens of blankets and heat packs.

Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said government departments were assisting residents affected by the fire.

When asked about their feelings about the fire, the residents said “the government is incompetent” and that they were “immensely heartbroken”.

“We don’t want to see any more casualties,” said one.