Good Morning Britain was halted on Thursday as Kate Garraway reported breaking news about a devastating Hong Kong fire that has claimed at least 44 lives with 279 people missing
Good Morning Britain ground to a sudden stop as presenter Kate Garraway delivered some shocking breaking news.
On Thursday (November 27), the 58-year-old host was back at the controls of the ITV breakfast programme when she shared the latest developments.
However, just moments into the live broadcast, she announced some heartbreaking breaking news emerging from Hong Kong.
During Wednesday evening (November 26), a blaze tore through seven blocks of a towering residential estate, engulfing the structures in flames.
The fatality count has climbed to 44, with around 279 individuals still unaccounted for, marking it as the territory’s most catastrophic fire disaster in over five decades, reports the Express.
The inferno remains uncontrolled, nearly 22 hours since it erupted in the northern Tai Po area.
Authorities have detained three construction firm bosses, two company chiefs, and one engineering adviser on manslaughter charges.
Emergency crews have begun scouring flats for survivors across four of the towers where flames have been doused, though officials anticipate the casualty figure will continue climbing.
At the time this report was filed, a further 45 individuals were fighting for their lives in medical facilities across the region.
Moments after receiving the update, Kate handed over to news reporter Laura Westbrook, who was broadcasting live from outside the charred complex in Hong Kong.
With the smouldering structure visible behind her, Laura disclosed: “As you can see behind me, firefighters are continuing to spray water onto these buildings.
“You can taste the smoke, and black smoke is continuing to come off these buildings behind me. Authorities say at least 44 people have died and 279 people remain missing. Emergency shelters have been opened for those affected, as well as centres for people to register their missing loved ones.”
She continued: “One woman told me that she’s really worried because she hasn’t been able to contact one of her friends who lives in the buildings. Officials are investigating, and scrutiny is turning to the materials used in this renovation, with some of the materials covering the buildings that may not have met fire safety standards.
“Styrofoam materials were also used in the renovation, which is obviously highly flammable and may have been one of the reasons why this fire spread so intensely and so quickly.”
Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate with 2,000 flats across eight tower blocks, was undergoing various refurbishments when the blaze erupted. Specialists suggest that bamboo scaffolding probably helped the flames rage uncontrollably from building to building.
Hong Kong’s leader John Lee has indicated the government might delay the December 7 General Election following the disaster, describing the inferno as a “massive catastrophe”. It wasn’t long before viewers rushed to X – formerly Twitter – to express their heartfelt concern for Hong Kong residents online.
One person wrote: “Cutting costs = killing people, no matter where you live. So sad for Hong Kong.”
Another chimed in: “I read that polystyrene played a part again. Why are they allowed to use highly flammable materials?”
A third simply commented: “The footage of the flats burning was truly terrible [crying emoji].”
Fresh reports from Hong Kong have disclosed that blazes at four of the seven tower blocks have now been put out, whilst the remaining three are currently under control, the South China Morning Post reports.
Four drones are being utilised to oversee the situation, with 11 fire hoses and 26 rescue squads having been deployed.
In total, the Fire Services Department has mobilised 1,250 firefighters and sent out 304 fire engines and emergency vehicles to tackle the inferno.
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