The blaze in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which erupted on Wednesday, has become Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in over 70 years, killing at least 94 people. A resident known as “Lim ALim” on Facebook shared a detailed account of his escape from the inferno on social media on Friday. HKFP has translated his post, originally written in Chinese.
On the day of the incident, I was resting at home. When my wife called to tell me about the fire, I immediately threw on some clothes and prepared to leave. The moment I opened the door, everything went black; thick smoke engulfed me. I tried to turn on the torch function on my phone, but I couldn’t see my own hand, and I struggled to breathe! I quickly shut the door and retreated inside.
I felt a little lost at that moment. When I called my wife again, she was already distraught with grief. I asked her: “If I try to rush out the fire escape and run to the main lobby, can I get out?”
She told me the lobby had already become an inferno! At that moment, I knew my last possible escape route was cut off. I was imprisoned in this inferno called home. All I could do was wait passively and helplessly. Wait for rescue.
I calmed myself down, found the towels in the house, and soaked them with water. Suddenly, I heard shouting in the hallway outside the door. Clutching the wet towel, I rushed out without hesitation.
See also: Hongkongers search for missing relatives, pets after deadly Tai Po fire
In less than 10 seconds, my eyes were streaming with tears, and my throat felt scorched. At that moment, I knew for certain that if I didn’t rescue the people in the corridor, the consequences for them in that atrocious environment would be unthinkable!
I felt my way along the corridor wall, moving slowly forward while shouting, “Come quickly!” Just then, I touched their bodies! I immediately pulled them back into my flat. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like I was no longer fighting this battle alone… I was in that corridor for less than a minute, but it felt terrible! So this is what it feels like to be surrounded by thick smoke.
I gave the couple towels from my home and water. They were wearing only light clothing and flip-flops, which would have been completely impractical for escape. I helped them put on socks and shoes, change into long trousers, and put on hats.
I told them that if it came to a real emergency, we would try to jump out the window! We were only on the second floor; it should be possible! I settled the couple down in the room to rest, telling them not to worry, that we were not going to die!
Then, I quietly sat by the window, gazing through the glass at countless pieces of burning debris falling outside, like black snowflakes mixed with sparks, raining down from the sky. It looked like a desperate deluge; the sight was cruelly suffocating.
There are so many things in life that I cannot control. I cannot control the coming and going of fate, the ups and downs of destiny, or the departure of loved ones.
I always thought that, at the very least, I could control my own body, control where I walked – that in the final moments, I could fight for my own life or death. But this time, even that last vestige of control was mercilessly stripped away by the fire.
To be or not to be? This ultimate philosophical question had never appeared so concrete and hideous before me. And the answer was not in my hands.
I picked up my phone to say goodbye to the people who mattered. My mother, who lives abroad, called me after hearing the news. I told her very calmly, “Mum, don’t worry, the firemen are rescuing me, I’m fine! I’ll quickly grab my things and run!” The moment I hung up, my eyes welled up with tears; it felt like a final separation.
I kept hearing loud explosions and saw raging flames through the window. I thought, “I would be stuck here forever.” Then, I caught sight of a fireman outside the window. I waved frantically and used my phone’s flash. Around 4 o’clock, the firemen saw me and told me they were arranging the rescue. I knew they were doing their very best, and since I was safe for the moment, I should wait! I obediently continued to wait.
This complete sense of powerlessness was more suffocating than the smoke. I could only sit here. The couple in the house started to gasp a little; after all, we had been trapped inside for hours, and even a breath of fresh air was a luxury.
It wasn’t until six in the evening that the firemen raised the aerial ladder and told us they would rescue us one by one. The [woman] asked me to leave first, but I told her, “I’m younger, I can endure a little longer. You two go first.”
She let me take care of her husband and help him climb out of the window before she got onto the ladder and left.
Once they were safely gone, I was alone in the flat again. At this moment, I calmly thought about what I could take with me… the models I had spent countless sleepless nights painting, the limited-edition action figures I had happily collected, the various luxury brand items, the children’s favourite toys, my wife’s cherished belongings…
I wanted to take everything, but I could take nothing. I had wasted the time I could have used to gather more items. Instead, I stood quietly, looking around the wreckage, as if saying a final farewell to this home.
See also: Grassroots rapid relief: How thousands of Hongkongers mobilised to support victims of Tai Po blaze
Finally, I want to thank the firefighters for risking their lives to rescue us.
I am now under observation in the hospital. In the past, I was always anxious about when I could be discharged, keen to rush home… When the nurse asked me if I was eager to leave, I shook my head and remained silent. Could I even go home now?
This fire, in its most violent form, has made me understand that in the face of impermanence, we are never the masters – only temporary, fragile inhabitants.
Though times are tough, our spirit is tougher. Let’s heal and rebuild together.
