Fire hazards in skyscrapers – how safe are we?

-       A fire broke out in a high-rise in Hong Kong, claiming the lives of 94 people.

-       Prestige Constructions is under police custody, including two directors and an engineering consultant.

Hong Kong is a developed region, and its high-rises are truly impressive, both visually and structurally. Construction regulations are strictly followed, and fire-fighting equipment and systems are usually fully operational.

However, a recent fire in a high-rise complex there tragically claimed 94 lives. The incident occurred on Wednesday, and it took the Hong Kong Fire Department 24 hours to bring the blaze completely under control.

The fire broke out in the Wang Fuk Court residential estate, which houses approximately 4,600 residents. Renovation work was ongoing at the time, involving bamboo scaffolding and green mesh. Because the towers are located very close to each other, the severity of the fire increased, according to local authorities. The fire is believed to have been caused by Prestige Constructions, and two directors and an engineering consultant from the company have been arrested by local police.

Meanwhile, high-rises are rapidly increasing in our own Hyderabad. Buildings with 40 floors have become common, and the HMDA even permits constructions up to 60 floors.

This raises a serious question among homebuyers in Hyderabad: If a fire breaks out in a 40- or 60-floor high-rise, do we have adequate fire-fighting personnel and advanced fire-fighting equipment to control it? People are now discussing whether it would be possible to escape safely from such a high-rise in case of a fire, or if lives would be lost in the sky itself.