Some tragedies arrive without warning. One moment a city breathes in quiet routine, and the next — everything changes. On the night of November 26, Hong Kong learned how quickly an ordinary evening can turn into a nightmare.
It began with smoke.
Not much at first — just a faint blur drifting above the rooftops of Tai Po. But within minutes, smoke turned into fire, fire turned into fury, and fury climbed skyward along the bamboo scaffolding wrapped around several high-rise buildings. By the time the first alarms were raised, flames were already racing up the sides of three residential towers, swallowing window after window like a living beast.
People looked up from the streets and gasped.
Those inside never saw it coming.
