Today, a Class 3 fire at Wah Fung Building on Jordan Road in Yau Ma Tei was like a sudden bomb that instantly plunged this busy neighbourhood into chaos and panic.
So far, this disaster has not only claimed five precious lives, but also caused many people to fall into a coma, and has triggered a deep reflection on fire safety and urban management.
The beginning of the matter is like a terrifying disaster movie.
In the fitness center on the first floor of Huafeng Building, customers are exercising as usual.
Suddenly, a loud bang broke the silence, like thunder.
The gym people turned their heads to see the adjacent unit filled with smoke and flames, followed by several deafening explosions.
This sudden change made endless fear rise in the hearts of everyone present, and they threw down the equipment in their hands and escaped in a hurry.
According to Mr. Shen's recollection, he was working out with others at the time, and when they heard someone shouting "Fire candle!" they immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.
The loud "bang" in the stairwell was even more terrifying, they didn't know what caused it, and they didn't have time to think about it, so they could only run for their lives.
On other floors of the Wah Fung Building, the situation is equally critical.
Residents waved towels for help, and some even had to retreat to their homes surrounded by tongues of fire in search of a ray of life.
The firefighters stepped forward, raised the ladders, and pulled the trapped residents back from the clutches of death again and again.
By 11:30 a.m., at least 40 people had been taken to hospital, of whom 5 were seriously injured and 150 were evacuated.
The fire broke out at 7:53 a.m. on the 1st floor of Wah Fung Building, and the fire department responded quickly and upgraded the fire to level 3 at 8:04 a.m., dispatching a large number of rescue personnel and equipment.
The fire was finally brought under control at 8:54 a.m., but it was left with devastation and endless grief.
In the aftermath, the top level of the government expressed deep condolences and sorrow for the disaster, and promised to make every effort to treat the injured and investigate the cause of the fire in depth to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.
Upon learning of the heavy casualties caused by the third-level fire, Chief Executive John Lee expressed his deep sorrow and deep condolences to the families of the deceased and the injured.
He stressed that the Government attaches great importance to the incident and has instructed the HA to spare no effort to treat the injured.
In addition, the Police, Fire Services Department and other relevant departments have also been asked to investigate the cause of the fire and all possible factors that led to serious casualties to ensure that the root cause of the problem can be identified and similar tragedies can be avoided from happening again.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Chan Kwok-ki, also told the media shortly after the incident that the Government was shocked and deeply saddened by the fire and had immediately launched an investigation mechanism to gain an in-depth understanding of the cause of the fire and review all relevant safety standards to ensure that the lives of the public were protected to the greatest extent possible.
Chan also mentioned that the HA has set up a special channel to take care of the injured, and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau will also provide comprehensive support to the injured or their families as needed, including psychological counselling and emergency assistance.
However, for the lives that have already passed, these seem too late, too little.
In addition to grief, the hearts of the families are more eager for the truth, hoping that the government can thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire and give a fair explanation.
The fire at Huafeng Building was not just an ordinary disaster.
It exposes many loopholes in urban management and warns us that we must pay attention to fire safety and strengthen the management and renovation of old buildings.
Only in this way can we avoid the recurrence of tragedies and truly protect the lives of every citizen.
In the face of this sudden disaster, we have seen the fearlessness and dedication of countless people.
From the citizens who escaped to the firefighters who were desperate to fight for their lives, to the rapid response of government departments at all levels, everyone is escorting lives in their own way.
But at the same time, the disaster is a mirror of the problems that the government must face in terms of the management and safety standards of the city.
As Chief Executive John Lee emphasized, finding out the truth is not only the most basic respect for the families of the victims, but also a manifestation of responsibility for the safety of all Hong Kong citizens.
In fact, every disaster is a test of the social management system and an opportunity for improvement and progress.
I hope that the Hong Kong government will find out the truth as soon as possible and give an explanation to the family.