Hong Kong Canadians reeling after deadly highrise inferno

Canadians with roots in Hong Kong have been watching in horror at news of the fire that tore through seven highrise towers in the Chinese special administrative region, leaving dozens dead and hundreds missing.   

Vancouver resident Albert Wai Yip Chan, a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, said the fire risk in the city's tall buildings has always been a concern, especially with many lacking sprinkler systems. 

He's been watching videos online of the blaze in his hometown, which showed large flames and thick smoke engulfing the buildings 

"I wish (the) injured people could have a speedy recovery," said Chan, "It's a tragedy."

"We hope the government can improve its property management policy. Otherwise, I believe this type of problem will keep occurring again and again."

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the blaze spread across a housing complex in the Tai Po district, with at least 55 people reported dead and roughly 270 still missing. 

The blaze, which started mid-afternoon on Wednesday, was upgraded to a level-5 — the highest level of severity locally — and authorities said that conditions remained very challenging for firefighters. 

Global Affairs estimates there are about 300,000 Canadian citizens in Hong Kong, making them the biggest Canadian diaspora outside the United States.

Global Affairs Canada has not replied to a request about whether there are any Canadians who have died in the fire.

Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Fire Service operations, said in a news conference that the debris and scaffolding of the affected buildings were falling down, posing additional danger to their front line personnel. 

"Besides, the temperature inside the buildings concerned is very high," Chan said. "It's quite difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs to conduct firefighting and rescue operations."

Chan said the fire could be one of the deadliest in Hong Kong's history, bringing back memories of the Garley Building fire in 1996 that killed 41 people and injured about 81.

Aiken Lau, a former Hong Kong banker and now resident of Coquitlam, B.C., said he remembered crying as a teenager about the Garley Building fire, and the same feelings are emerging again 29 years later. 

"I left very heartbroken when I first saw the news," Lau said. "Although I have been away from Hong Kong for more than 20 years, I still have strong feelings for the city, and I hate to see people there suffering in pain. 

"I hope the missing people could be found as soon as possible."

Officials have said the Tai Po fire started on Wednesday in external bamboo scaffolding on a 32-storey tower and later spread because of windy conditions.

Lau said there are many questions about the cause and how the deadly flames could have moved so quickly.

Conservative Richmond Centre — Marpole member of Parliament Chak Au also took to social media to express his sadness, saying his heart is with Hong Kong. 

Au, who worked as an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong before immigrating to Canada in 1988, said in an interview that the news hit home for him. 

Au's son is a firefighter with the City of Richmond, and the former city councillor also said the location of the Hong Kong blaze in the Tai Po district is close to his former workplace.

"Tai Po district is only several stops away from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, my former workplace, and it's a very population-dense city," said Au.

"My heartfelt condolences to all who lost loved ones — including the firefighter who died in the line of duty — and my thoughts are with the injured and the many families still waiting for news of the missing," he added. "I also pray that more survivors can be rescued."

John Lee, Hong Kong's chief executive, said that the situation at the scene is gradually getting under control, and a "holistic investigation" has been launched. 

Several local media outlets reported that police had arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire. 

Lau said all he is hoping for is for the death toll to stop climbing.

"When I dug into the history of deadly fires in Hong Kong, the fire that occurred in Sham Shui Po in 1962 is the worst one, which has killed 44 people and left hundreds of people homeless, but I wasn't born at that time, and I didn't know much of it," said Lau. 

"I am extremely worried that the latest fire might break the record of 1962. It's devastating."

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Chan Long Hei