Hong Kong Fire Kills 39

HONG KONG: At least 39 people were killed and more than 80 injured as flames roared through a downtown high-rise in the worst fire in Hong Kong in 39 years. The fire which began Wednesday burned for 21 hours before being brought under control by firefighters. The search for victims continues Thursday. Fire department officials say the blaze probably started when welding sparks, used during elevator renovation, ignited combustible material at the bottom of a shaft, causing the fire to spread from the basement to the 13th and 14th floors. For security reasons, the 21-year-old building had sealed windows both at the front and the rear, meaning the fire and smoke could not escape and the heat surged through the staircases where rescue operations were taking place. At the height of the fire, flames leapt from windows on the top three or four floors and the whole building was engulfed in heavy smoke. Steel window frames on the top floor were bent by intense heat. Some people inside waved pieces of cloth through ventilation shafts, trying to alert rescuers. Two government helicopters were used to pluck people to safety.