Chapter 327: Burned for at Least 43 Hours

Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Burned for at Least 43 Hours

Zoe Sawyer took a sip of the water someone had brought her. She looked at Heath Hale, whose face was etched with worry, and spoke in a serious tone.

The few others who were still awake couldn’t sit still either. They all stood up and gathered around Zoe Sawyer, wanting to hear what had happened.

"Tomorrow, a little after two in the afternoon, a massive fire will break out in a residential complex in the SAR. Out of eight buildings, seven will be severely damaged. It will burn for the entire afternoon. When I was pulled out of the vision, the fire was still raging, and it looked like it would keep burning for a long time." Zoe Sawyer stared at the faces crowded around her and recounted everything she had seen.

The more she spoke, the grimmer their expressions became.

"A residential complex like that must have a lot of people. Even if some manage to get out, a significant number definitely won’t be able to escape in time."

"The number of casualties this time might be comparable to that factory fire a while back." Heath Hale’s eyes narrowed as he recalled what Zoe Sawyer had just said—that she saw a considerable number of people collapse while trying to flee.

’The other buildings probably have plenty of cases like that, too.’

"This is too important. Let’s pinpoint the location first. The second it hits six, we call the Chief." Evan Keller patted his own cheeks, forcing himself to stay alert.

With the information Zoe Sawyer provided, Officer Lee quickly found the exact location of the residential complex where the fire was set to occur.

Looking at the materials arranged on the exterior of the entire building, Zoe Sawyer frowned and asked, "What’s all this green stuff?"

Heath Hale glanced at it, then looked away, explaining its purpose to Zoe Sawyer. "That’s flame-retardant netting. It’s widely used in construction to effectively reduce fire risk. It also prevents workers from falling and protects people from falling objects."

Zoe Sawyer’s brow furrowed. ’Something feels wrong about this.’

"But a single spark set it off, and the fire spread at a rate of several meters per second. This flame-retardant netting was completely useless."

"Did the construction company use a substandard product? Or was it not even flame-retardant netting to begin with?" Zoe Sawyer’s voice was filled with doubt.

Evan Keller looked up from the information Officer Lee had just pulled, his expression grave. "That’s a possibility. Or maybe... it’s just nylon netting?"

"And look, that layer of white foam board on the exterior walls is highly flammable and produces toxic gas when it burns. That might be the real reason Zoe Sawyer saw residents collapsing while covering their mouths and noses."

"This stuff is all over the building—it’s basically an accelerant!"

After all, the first few minutes are the golden window for escape.

But if you collapse from asphyxiation due to toxic fumes, you can’t escape this fire trap, even if you react instantly.

"Substandard flame-retardant netting, plus these foam boards and bamboo scaffolding... this is already a man-made disaster." Sean Hughes’s expression was just as grim.

But thankfully, there was still a chance to stop it.

At this thought, everyone looked at Zoe Sawyer with a sense of relief and gratitude.

’It’s all thanks to Zoe Sawyer!’

"I’m going to take another look. Maybe I can find some other clues." Unable to sit still, Zoe Sawyer went back to the door.

She wanted to know exactly how long the fire burned.

Heath Hale didn’t stop her. He knew that as long as this was unresolved, Zoe Sawyer wouldn’t be in any mood to rest.

So, he turned his attention to Evan Keller and the others. "You guys should get some rest. This is a major incident, so they probably won’t need us on the ground."

Getting to the SAR from here is too much trouble. Plus, with that other group watching the police station, the Chief definitely won’t let Zoe Sawyer leave unless it’s absolutely necessary.

If Zoe Sawyer provides intelligence from the rear, then they won’t need to go over.

Since that was the case, it was better to let Evan Keller and the others get some rest.

Evan Keller shook his head. "Can’t sleep. It’s fine, it’s not like we haven’t pulled all-nighters before."

"I won’t be able to rest easy until this is reported to the Chief."

Heath Hale sighed as well.

None of them sat idle. They used the time they had to thoroughly investigate the situation at the target complex.

Zoe Sawyer, on the other hand, was having a much less peaceful time.

Opening the door again and seeing the towering inferno, Zoe Sawyer took a deep breath and controlled the door to fast-forward time.

Even skipping ahead two hours at a time, by the time she heard a nearby reporter announce that the open flames had been completely extinguished, it was already the third day.

Looking at the time on a bystander’s phone, Zoe Sawyer did a quick mental calculation. ’This fire has been burning for at least 43 hours!’

The sound of crying rose and fell around her, never stopping.

During this time, many people had tried every method they could think of, but none were able to contact their families.

Unwilling to give up hope, they joined the relief efforts however they could, desperate to see the fire extinguished as quickly as possible.

Zoe Sawyer closed the door and let out a long, deep breath.

"The fire burned for at least 43 hours. Anyone in those buildings who didn’t get out in time... their chances are slim." Looking at Heath Hale and the others gathering around her, Zoe Sawyer rubbed her face and recounted what she had seen.

’Forty-three hours... a building could be burned to a crisp in that time.’

’Let alone the people inside.’

’By then, it might even be impossible to find any remains.’

Seeing the heavy atmosphere, Evan Keller clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. "What’s there to be sad about? The fire hasn’t happened yet! There’s still a chance to change things."

"What we need to do now is report this immediately. Get the SAR government to send people to eliminate the hazards over there and snuff out this fire before it even starts!"

Evan Keller’s words pulled Zoe Sawyer out of her sorrow.

’That’s right. They knew in advance.’

’At the very least, they could evacuate the residents in time and reduce the number of casualties.’

"Alright, I’m calling the Chief about this now. Zoe Sawyer, you go wash your face and get something to eat. A lot of people will be coming to question you soon." Evan Keller motioned to Sean Hughes, indicating for him to take Zoe to clean up and eat.

Then, he took out his phone, stepped outside the office, and dialed the Chief’s number.

The phone was answered on the first ring.

"Evan, why are you calling me so early in the morning? Is there a problem with that group of drug traffickers?" the Chief asked, his voice surprised.

’Evan has handled plenty of cases. Why would he be calling me in such a panic this early?’

"Chief, something major has happened."

"The door gave Zoe Sawyer a warning. This afternoon, a little after two, a massive fire will break out in a residential complex under renovation in the SAR. The blaze will be severe, burning for at least 43 hours. Many residents won’t escape, and the casualties will be high." Evan Keller spoke rapidly, laying out the situation concisely and clearly.

The moment he finished speaking, Evan Keller heard the Chief roll out of bed, followed immediately by his instructions.

"I’m on my way to the station now. Get all the relevant files compiled immediately."