A massive fire tore through a public housing complex in Hong Kong, leaving scores dead and many more injured. The blaze spread rapidly through the building’s renovation scaffolding, turning an ordinary day into one of the city’s darkest tragedies in decades.
Image Source: Disney
Disney has called off the Hong Kong premiere of ‘Zootopia 2’ after a massive fire ripped through a public housing complex leaving dozens dead and many more injured. What was going to be a cheerful celebration for fans has now shifted to a moment of silence and mourning in the city.
The disaster, which swept through the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, has become one of Hong Kong’s worst tragedies in recent decades. Local authorities reported at least 83 deaths and over 100 people injured, while more than 200 residents are still missing.
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The fire began on Wednesday afternoon and continued burning well into Thursday. Firefighters said the extreme heat and falling debris made it nearly impossible to reach people trapped inside.
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The housing complex, home to more than 4,000 residents, many of them elderly, was under renovation. The entire structure wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and safety netting, a common building method in Hong Kong. Early reports suggest that flammable construction materials, including polystyrene boards that blocked several windows, may have helped the flames spread faster.
Authorities are now investigating this possibility.
As the city struggled to process the scale of the loss, Disney announced its decision through Instagram. The company shared that the planned events for Thursday, including the special screening for Magic Access members and the grand gala premiere, would not go ahead.
The message also confirmed that singer Joey Yung, who was going to appear at the park’s ‘Friendtastic!’ parade, would no longer attend. All celebrations linked to ‘Zootopia 2’ are on hold for now. The park additionally cancelled its evening fireworks show, writing, “Due to an incident in Hong Kong and out of respect, tonight’s Momentous: Party in the Night Sky will be cancelled.”
Disney has not yet shared a new date for the cancelled screening or the gala premiere. For now, the company is keeping its focus on expressing support and respect as Hong Kong deals with the tragedy.
The timing is especially emotional for fans who were excited for ‘Zootopia 2’, directed by Jared Bush and Bryon Howard. The sequel has been highly anticipated and Hong Kong was ready to be one of the first cities to celebrate it with a public event.
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