A terrible fire ripped through tall residential towers in Hong Kong, claiming the lives of at least 36 people and leaving 279 others missing. The disaster has shocked the city and raised urgent questions: why did the fire spread so fast, and what made it so deadly? The fire struck at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po on Wednesday. Flames and thick smoke swallowed the 32-storey buildings for more than ten hours, creating one of Hong Kong’s worst disasters in 30 years. Fire Services Director Andy Yeung Yan Kin revealed a shocking detail: styrofoam was found inside the burning buildings. He said this material made the fire burn much faster and stronger. According to the South China Morning Post, the styrofoam helped flames rush through corridors and set many flats on fire across several floors. Firefighters could only enter from the ground floor because many higher floors were still blazing into Thursday morning. Yeung said, “One of the biggest challenges was the sheer number of floors on fire at the same time.” Security Secretary Chris Tang called the speed of the fire “suspicious.” He explained, “We have found that on the relevant building walls, the netting and waterproof tarpaulin material, once burned, showed spreading of the flames faster than [they should on] regulated materials. This is unusual.” Tang confirmed a full investigation, including a criminal probe, will be done to find out why the fire spread so quickly. At the peak of the battle, 888 firefighters were deployed. Yeung said the fire department had sent the maximum safe number of officers to fight the blaze. They are slowly moving up floor by floor, trying to put out all flames and save trapped residents. "We are making progress and hope we can clear each floor as soon as possible," he said. More than 900 people found shelter in temporary centres after the disaster. Residents watched in horror as bamboo scaffolding collapsed and smoke turned the sky dark. Sadly, one firefighter died while 29 injured survivors are now in hospital. Hong Kong leader John Lee said the priority is rescue, caring for the injured, and recovery. Then a full inquiry will start. From Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged an “all out effort” to fight the fire and limit deaths, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. Residents described hearing sudden loud bangs just before the fire exploded, leaving many unsure if they will ever return home. The fire alarm level rose quickly — starting as No 1, then No 4 by 3:34pm, and finally the highest No 5 at 6:22pm. Hong Kong's scale goes from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most serious alerts. Videos show bamboo scaffolding outside the flats burning fiercely, with pieces of green construction net falling to the ground in flames. This fiery nightmare has shaken Hong Kong, and the hunt for answers is on to make sure such a tragedy never happens again.