“HELP NEEDED”
After what many said had been a sleepless night, crowds gathered in parks and walkways in the northern district of Tai Po to bear witness to the still-flickering remains of the estate.
Residents circulated an online spreadsheet – which someone quickly converted into a slick web app – where people could mark themselves safe.
On Thursday morning, dozens of spreadsheet cells were still highlighted red, meaning “help needed”.
A 70-year-old woman surnamed Leung, who lives next to Wang Fuk Court, said she had been unable to reach a friend who lived in one of the stricken high-rises.
“I’m so worried, I kept calling, but it didn’t connect,” said Leung, who was among those evacuated as a precaution and spent the night in a temporary shelter.
“I came back at five in the morning because I couldn’t sleep,” she added as she joined the crowd watching the fire, the smell of smoke lingering in the air.
