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Fireworks are usually the centerpiece of New Year’s celebrations in Hong Kong, but this year was very different as there was no spectacular, colorful explosion over the iconic Victoria Harbour, following a devastating fire that killed at least 161 people in November.
Instead, the city’s tourism bureau hosted a music show Wednesday night in Central, a business district that is also home to the famous nightlife hub Lan Kwai Fong, featuring soft-rock duo Air Supply and other singers.
The facades of eight landmarks were transformed into giant countdown clocks, creating a three-minute light show at midnight.
Fireworks have long been part of the city’s New Year, Lunar New Year, and National Day celebrations.
The fireworks display, set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s world-famous skyscrapers, typically draws hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the promenade, including many tourists.
Hotels and restaurants may also be affected.
Rosanna Law, the territory’s secretary for culture, sport and tourism, acknowledged on Tuesday that the cancellation of fireworks could impact the operations of some hotels and restaurants.
Annie Wang, a tourist from Shanghai, said she understood the city’s decision because she had planned to watch the fireworks display and was heartbroken when she heard the news of the fire.
Wang, a university student, said, “It’s very unfortunate. But after the fire, there’s nothing we can do.”
Wang Miao, a teacher from Guangzhou, a neighboring economic hub, was scheduled to participate in the official countdown activities in Central, even though there were no fireworks. She said she was disappointed that she couldn’t see the fireworks, but she understood why.
“It does not affect our experience in Hong Kong,” Wang said.
By Wednesday evening, a large crowd of revelers had already gathered near Central’s performance stage to get the best view of the musical performance.
Worst fire in Hong Kong since 1940s
The worst fire in the financial capital since 1948 broke out in late November at the Wangfu Courthouse in Tai Po’s northern suburbs.
The apartment complex was undergoing a months-long renovation project, with buildings covered in bamboo scaffolding and green netting.
Officials blamed substandard screens and foam boards installed on windows as contributing factors to the fire’s rapid spread.
Thousands of affected residents have moved into temporary housing, hotels and hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of the lives and homes they spent years buying.
Past tragedies in Hong Kong have forced similar fireworks cancellations. These include the 2013 National Day celebrations after a boat crash on October 1, 2012 that killed 39 people, and the 2018 Lunar New Year celebrations after a bus crash that killed 19 people.
Several displays were also scrapped during the 2019 anti-government protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The origins of fireworks are believed to date back to China in the 2nd century B.C., when someone discovered bamboo stalks that exploded loudly when thrown into a fire, creating the first natural firecrackers, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, a U.S. industry group.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the first accurately recorded fireworks, Chinese firecrackers, were created by Li Tian, a Chinese Tang Dynasty monk who lived between 618 and 907 AD.
Guinness reports that researchers have discovered that placing gunpowder in a sealed hollow bamboo stalk creates a large explosion, making traditional New Year’s firecrackers made by bundling crackers to ward off evil spirits.
Additional sources of information • AP