Mr. Tong and his wife escaped death by barricading themselves in the bathroom, using wet towels to cover their faces and holding out for many hours, waiting for the firefighters to rescue them.
Mr. Tong Ping Moon started smelling smoke at around 3:00 p.m. on November 26. Immediately afterward, a firefighter knocked on the door of his 10th-floor apartment in the Wang Fuk Court apartment building in Tai Po district, reporting that a nearby building was on fire. The 74-year-old man and his wife decided not to evacuate because they thought it was okay, but the smoke quickly became thicker.
The fire engulfed 7 Hong Kong apartment buildings. Image: AP
The couple then called for help and hid in the bathroom, covering their faces with wet towels to avoid inhaling the toxic fumes that crept through the door. They were rescued by firefighters around 6:00 p.m. and are currently staying at a school used as a temporary shelter, according to New York Times on November 27.
“We were extremely lucky. It was pitch black at that time. If we had to find our own way out, we wouldn’t have survived,” Mr. Tong said.
According to medical experts, the two victims survived by correctly applying smoke prevention rules when they decided to barricade themselves in the bathroom and use wet towels to seal the door. This on-the-spot first aid measure helps them minimize the risk of toxic gas asphyxiation, the leading cause of death in fires, while waiting for the authorities to approach.
The fire in Tai Po started in a high-rise building in mid-afternoon. The fire spread quickly, forcing many people to run away or ask for help from the fire department. Officials said it was unclear how many residents were trapped inside the burned building. Some of those who escaped stood outside around midnight, watching as firefighters tried to control the raging blaze.
Mr. Sze Kam Sang quietly held a small cotton blanket, stood in the crowd looking at the burning buildings, and said: “How can I sleep when my house is burning down?”. This man in his 70s has lived in Wang Fuk Court for about 40 years. He was having a doctor’s appointment when he was informed by his wife, who works nearby. He hoped the fire had not spread to his 19th floor apartment when the lower floors were already engulfed in flames.
People stood from afar watching the fire engulfing buildings in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po district, Hong Kong, on November 26. Image: Chan Long Hei/Associated Press
Mr. Sze said the apartment complex has had a few small fires in recent years, but never this big. He said the building is undergoing its first major maintenance project in four decades. It is surrounded by bamboo scaffolding, a material commonly used in construction projects in Hong Kong.
Early on November 27, the fire continued to spread through 32-storey apartment buildings, smoke billowing into the sky. The bamboo scaffolding cracked and burst into flames with flying sparks. Dozens of fire trucks and ambulances were parked in the area, their lights flashing. At a press conference this morning, the Hong Kong Fire Department said at least 44 people were killed, 279 people were missing and 45 were in critical condition, and had been transferred to hospitals in the special zone for treatment. Officials have controlled the fire in 4 of the 7 buildings.