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Survivor rejects 'hero' label after deadly blaze
William Li, 40, who helped neighbors escape a devastating fire at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court, says the praise feels unbearable as he mourns those who perished. The disaster claimed at least 159 lives, with 30 victims still missing a week later.
Fire alarms failed, worsening disaster
An independent investigation ordered by Hong Kong's chief executive is examining why the fire spread so rapidly. Early findings reveal critical safety failures: non-fire-resistant netting surrounded the building, and malfunctioning alarms delayed evacuations. Li initially dismissed his wife's warning about the fire, assuming the alarms would sound if it were serious. By the time he opened his door, thick smoke had already filled the corridor.
Neighbors' bravery and tragic losses
Li pulled two neighbors into his flat after finding them disoriented in the smoke. Nearby, 66-year-old Bai Shui Lin saved at least three families by alerting them before succumbing to the flames. Her son, Yip Ka-Kui, told CBS News she would never have left without warning others. "If I'd asked her to leave a minute earlier, I think she would have survived," he said.
Li also heard a domestic worker calling for an elderly woman in the hallway but couldn't reach them. Nine Indonesian and one Filipino domestic worker are among the dead, though others, like Rhodora Alcaraz, survived. Alcaraz, 28, stayed with her employer's infant and elderly mother until firefighters rescued them. Voice messages she sent to her sister, obtained by Reuters, captured her desperation: "I'm feeling very weak. I can't breathe."
Trapped for hours, facing death
Li and the Chows, an older couple he rescued, spent nearly three hours trapped in his flat. One fire exit was blocked by flames, and the other was reportedly locked-allegations the building's property manager, a subsidiary of Danish firm ISS, has not addressed. With no escape, Li sent farewell messages to friends: "If something happens to me, take care of my children."
Firefighters eventually reached them via an aerial ladder. Li insisted the Chows go first, despite their protests. When it was his turn, he hesitated to leave his home, filled with cherished belongings. "The fire was telling me I couldn't take anything away," he said.
Haunted by trauma and unanswered questions
After reuniting with his family at a fast-food restaurant, Li collapsed in the hospital emergency room, overwhelmed by the smell of smoke and exhaustion. "I really wanted to wash away the smell," he recalled. Though discharged, he dreads returning home, fearing the memories.
Despite his trauma, Li is speaking publicly to demand answers. "I hope many people will come forward to help find the truth," he said. "Wang Fuk Court residents deserve justice." The investigation continues as families await clarity on why the fire became so deadly.
