How a small fire in a Hong Kong apartment building became so deadly

Within just a few hours on Wednesday afternoon, what started as a small fire on the first floor of an apartment building turned into a raging inferno that engulfed seven high-rise towers in a public housing complex in Hong Kong.

At least 128 people have died, around 150 are missing and thousands more are now homeless in a city that suffers from a chronic lack of space and where property prices are among the most expensive in the world.

The fire has also shocked Hong Kong, which has a strong safety record and is not accustomed to disasters of this scale.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. But the buildings in the complex were all under renovation, with many windows blocked by highly flammable polystyrene that authorities say helped fuel the blaze.

This, and a series of other safety lapses, fueled Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades./ CNA, translated by CNN

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