Hong Kong Faces Deadliest Apartment Fire in Years: Dozens Killed, Hundreds Missing as Rescue Crews Search Ruins

Hong Kong has been struck by one of its deadliest residential fires in recent years, with rescue operations ongoing in apartment blocks across the city. The devastating blaze has claimed numerous lives and left hundreds reported missing as search and rescue teams work through the night to locate survivors trapped in the rubble and collapsed structures. Eyewitness accounts describe horrifying scenes with residents forced to flee in panic as the fire spread rapidly through multiple floors. The incident has renewed focus on building safety standards and emergency protocols in the densely populated city, where thousands of residents live in high-rise residential complexes. Authorities are investigating the fire's origin while also examining the structural integrity of bamboo scaffolding used on the exterior of some buildings—a long-standing safety concern in Hong Kong's construction industry. The disaster has prompted immediate calls for stricter enforcement of fire safety codes and better emergency response mechanisms in residential areas.