Floor by floor, door by door -- firefighters chase every hope in Hong Kong residential area fire

HONG KONG -- Orange flames licked at the high-rise windows of Wang Fuk Court, a residential complex engulfed by a major fire since Wednesday afternoon, as one team after another of firefighters, their gear heavy with water and soot, stumbled out of the smoke-shrouded estate in Tai Po just after midnight.

"No matter how complex the circumstances, rescue never stops," said John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). On-site fire commanders noted the extreme ferocity of the blaze had forced a rotation system: each team would withdraw for two days of rest after 24 consecutive hours on the frontline.

At an early-morning press conference on Friday, Lam Cheuk-ho, an ambulance officer with the Fire Services Department (FSD), fought back tears as he spoke of a fallen comrade, Ho Wai-ho, from Sha Tin Fire Station, who was found unconscious while tackling the blaze on Wednesday afternoon.

By 6 am on Friday, the No 5 alarm fire had claimed 94 lives, including one firefighter, 37-year-old Ho, who was due to marry his girlfriend of nearly a decade next month. Another 76 people had been injured, among them 11 firefighters treated for burns, heat exhaustion and foot injuries.

The FSD deployed over 200 fire engines, some 100 ambulances and more than 1,200 fire and ambulance personnel for the operation. Drones circled overhead through the night, monitoring the blaze in real time to feed critical data to ground command.

Outside Wang Fuk Court at 11 pm on Thursday, Xinhua reporters witnessed flames flare up again in the upper floors of one building, orange flames licking out of windows. Firefighters quickly readjusted their water cannons, focusing their firepower to douse the rekindled spots.

By 1 am on Friday, two firefighters just off shift leaned against lampposts, gasping for air. Their turnout gear was soaked and caked in soot. When approached for interviews, they waved weakly -- too exhausted to speak.

At 1:20 am, Chan Derek Armstrong, deputy director of fire services, addressed an overnight press conference in a hoarse voice: "Some areas have reignited; we're spraying water to cool hotspots."

Firefighters were conducting floor-by-floor, door-to-door searches, he added, while the FSD was still fielding 25 outstanding distress calls -- some from upper floors of two buildings, where fires still raged.

Armed with demolition tools and oxygen tanks, firefighters cautiously entered the extinguished units. By flashlight, they combed every corner. "We battle extreme heat and climb floor by floor, stepping carefully," Wong Ka-wing, another deputy director of fire services, told reporters.

On Thursday, the girlfriend of the deceased firefighter, Ho, posted a heartfelt message on social media, revealing her grief and longing for her boyfriend.

"My superhero has finished his mission and returned to Krypton. You're my pride!" she wrote, adding, "but I'm sorry, I need some time alone. I just can't accept this yet. I so badly want to hold your hand again."

As dawn broke over Tai Po, the search continued. Wong Ka-wing emphasized that no unit would be left unchecked, even as some distress calls went unanswered.

"We keep trying. We'll break down every unit door, search thoroughly for any possible survivors. We haven't given up, and we won't," he said, summing up the FSD's resolve.