As flames engulfed seven high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong’s Tai Po complex, AP teams sprang into action, delivering an all-formats, round-the-clock response to one of the deadliest urban fires in recent memory.
Business writer Thomas Chan was the first to flag the story and kept the team updated on critical developments — often ahead of competitors. His early reporting noted that the fire’s rapid spread was partly due to construction netting surrounding the buildings.
Senior producer Raf Wober coordinated the complex logistics of 24/7 rolling lives, managing nearly 80 hours of continuous live video coverage from the scene. From Wednesday through Saturday evening, the video team worked in shifts to document the fire, the emergency response and the harrowing search and rescue efforts that stretched well into the following week.
Text teams kept AP customers informed with constant updates as the death toll climbed dramatically — to at least 151 — and dozens remained missing. The coverage captured not just the scale of the destruction but the human toll, including the plight of displaced residents and overwhelmed emergency workers.
The AP’s sustained, on-the-ground presence, paired with real-time text, visuals and video, offered clients and readers an unmatched view of the tragedy as it unfolded.
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