Survivor of Hong Kong fire remembers heartbreaking final conversation with his wife

HONG KONG Yip Ka-kui recounted to CBS News how he was about to take a nap when his wife called from another room to warn him that a fire was rapidly engulfing the building next door, where their son resided. "I was so anxious. I immediately grabbed my clothes and phone and rushed downstairs," he said.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court, a residential complex undergoing renovations, spread with alarming speed. It consumed bamboo scaffolding, protective mesh, and foam window coverings across eight buildings. "I stepped outside and saw a massive blaze," Yip said on Monday, as the death toll surpassed 150. "The fire was everywhere, and I could hear the bamboo exploding. Flames reached the adjacent block. The mesh caught fire."

Tragically, that adjacent block was his own building, where his wife remained. He watched helplessly as flames rose along the exterior, quickly cutting off the main lobby. "I called my wife and told her there was a huge fire, we needed to leave immediately," the 67-year-old recalled tearfully. "I told her not to come down."

On the other end, his wife Bai Shui Lin, 66, described being trapped by dense smoke. Despite the danger, she went door to door alerting neighbors and helped at least three families escape safely. "Then there was so much noise," Yip said. "I couldn't hear her anymore that was the last call."

As the fire spread through seven of the complexs buildings, Yip watched behind police lines for any sign of his wife but never saw her. He spent days checking lists of victims names and photos, hoping she had survived. "I couldn't find my wife," he said. "I tried everything."

Five days later, authorities confirmed his worst fears: Bai, his wife of 40 years, did not survive. Their sons had to confirm her identity, which was ultimately verified using an ID card found in her purse. Both sons survived, but Yip is burdened with guilt. "If I'd asked her to leave a minute earlier, she might have survived," he said. "But we know hershe wouldn't have left without warning others."

Authorities reported at least 30 people remain missing as recovery teams continue searching through the seven burnt buildings. At least 14 arrests have been made in connection with suspected manslaughter, as investigations into safety violations related to the building's renovation materials continue. Additional arrests have not been ruled out.

Communities mourn the victims, laying flowers and holding vigils at the site of the devastating fire.

Author: Sophia Brooks