By Admin 
More than 50 people died in a massive fire that broke out in a multi-storey residential complex in Hong Kong, while 279 people are still missing. As the fire raged, the residents started abandoning it and running away. People said that they have become homeless and now they do not know what to do next.
Eyewitnesses told a horrifying story
Police investigation revealed that the protective nets, waterproof canvas and plastic sheets installed on the buildings may not have met the required fire proof standards, due to which the fire broke out. Local resident Shirley Chan said the scene was unbearably sad. She said, “Imagine a house burning down to ashes. Anyone would be heartbroken. I can understand that. It is really heartbreaking. I can’t even put it into words.”
Many people did not even know that their house was on fire.
According to the report of news agency AFP, a 65-year-old elderly man said, “I have been living here for more than 40 years. Our neighborhood is full of elderly people, many of whom use wheelchairs. The fire left all those families homeless. The windows of many houses were closed, so they did not realize that their house was on fire. Neighbors called them and asked them to leave the house. I am completely devastated.”
People saved their lives by hiding in the bathroom
Another local resident, Tong Pingmun (74 years old), said that he smelled smoke inside the house, but he did not evacuate the house. After some time, a fireman reached his house and warned that the neighboring building was on fire. Despite this he did not leave his home. Suddenly the situation worsened. As the smoke increased, Tong Pingmun and his wife hid in the bathroom.
He closed the space below the bathroom door with a wet towel. He switched on the ventilation fan and called for help, after which rescue teams reached him. According to the New York Times report, he said, “We were very lucky. There was dense darkness all around. If we had to go out alone, we would not have been able to survive.”
A rescue team employee ran towards room number 27 on the floor. According to a Reuters report, he said, “I wanted to remain at the site until the rescue operation was over. My heart was pounding. I think such incidents can only happen due to construction problems.”