A 5-alarm fire broke out at the Grand Fortune Gardens in Tai Po, Hong Kong on November 26th, resulting in a tragic loss of life. As of noon today (November 27th), the death toll has risen to 55 people, with firefighters discovering survivors within the burning building.
At 14:50 on November 27th, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department held a press conference to provide an update on the situation at the Grand Fortune Gardens. The devastating blaze has claimed the lives of at least 55 individuals, with 51 confirmed dead at the scene and 4 others succumbing to their injuries after being taken to the hospital, including a firefighter who died in the line of duty.
A total of 78 injured individuals have been hospitalized, with 4 fatalities, 15 in critical condition, 29 severely injured, and 18 in stable or satisfactory condition, while 12 have already been discharged.
Challenges in fire suppression and rescue operations include the extensive exterior wall area of the 7 buildings involved and the presence of bamboo sheds covered with canvas and nets, facilitating the rapid spread of the fire with the risk of shed collapse.
This morning (November 27th), multiple units were still battling intense flames and thick smoke billowed from the buildings. Firefighters were seen spraying water inside and outside the high-rise properties. According to online sources, Grand Fortune Gardens consists of eight 31-story buildings accommodating 1984 households.
Deputy Director of the Fire Services Department, Chan Hing Wing, stated that out of the 8 buildings at Grand Fortune Gardens, one remains unaffected, 4 fires have been controlled, and efforts are focused on the remaining 3 buildings where firefighters are advancing from the lower floors upwards. Over 20 rescue teams have been deployed by the fire department to address distress calls on different levels.
Chan Hing Wing added that search operations have reached floors 13 to 23, while firefighting efforts have reached floors 5 to 18. It is anticipated that access to the rooftops may require until midday or even into the evening. He emphasized that firefighters will expedite search and rescue if they observe reduced smoke levels in stairwells. Among the 56 injured evacuees rescued by firefighters from various locations in the buildings, a significant number were found in Hong Cheung House and Hong Tai House. Fire services managed to save two survivors on the rooftop of one building.
(Previously reported:
Hong Kong 5-alarm fire: 44 confirmed dead, 279 missing.)