Firefighters found Rhodora Alcaraz clutching a three-month-old infant in a smoke-filled apartment while searching for survivors in the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Hong Kong on 29/11, as reported by the Standard. She shielded the child from flames and toxic smoke for hours, trapped and unable to escape.

The baby is out of danger and is now with family. Alcaraz was rushed to the emergency room, quickly transferred to the intensive care unit, and requires a ventilator due to lung damage. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) stated that while Alcaraz remains in critical condition, she is stable and responding well to medical care.

Alcaraz had arrived in Hong Kong just days before the fire. Many residents in Hong Kong and the Philippines praised her bravery and called for employers in the special administrative region to treat domestic workers with respect.

Rhodora Alcaraz upon arrival in Hong Kong. Photo: HK01

The Wang Fuk Court complex, comprising about 2,000 apartments, began burning on the afternoon of 26/11 and continued for approximately 40 hours. This incident marks Hong Kong's deadliest fire in recent decades.

Hong Kong declared three days of mourning, starting on 29/11, to commemorate the victims. Government headquarters and offices will fly flags at half-mast until 1/12.

In a separate act of heroism during the same blaze, Reinalyn Niere, a Filipina domestic worker, saved her employer's three-year-old child. When the fire broke out on the afternoon of 26/11, Niere and the child were sleeping in a third-floor apartment in the Wang Tai building while the child's parents were at work.

Niere initially believed her building was unaffected, but a friend called to warn her that the Wang Tai building was also on fire. Niere carried the child into the smoke-filled hallway, shielding the baby from embers as she ran downstairs. Both escaped safely. Niere is currently staying at the child's grandmother's home, about 1,5 km from the scene. She mentioned her shoulder still hurts from hitting bamboo scaffolding while fleeing the building.

Hong Kong officials reported that at least 146 people died in the fire, with most bodies found in the Wang Tai building, and 79 people were injured. About 40 people are still missing, and the search in the burned buildings could take two to four weeks.

The Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong reported that as of 29/11, one Filipino citizen died in the fire, one was injured, and 79 were safe. The status of the remaining 12 people is being verified.

Firefighters spray water on buildings at the Wang Fuk Court complex, Hong Kong, 27/11. Photo: AP

Chris Tang, Director of Security for Hong Kong, stated that based on preliminary information, authorities believe the fire started from safety nets on the lower exterior floors of the building. It quickly spread upwards as foam panels ignited, affecting multiple floors.

Hong Kong police arrested 11 individuals on charges of corruption and manslaughter related to the 330 million Hong Kong dollars (over 42 million USD) renovation project at the Wang Fuk Court complex.