When the grandstands at the Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong caught fire on February 25, 1918, it was one of the most catastrophic events to ever take place in the world of sports. Over 600 spectators who were trapped inside the building perished in the fire, while another 300 were injured. During a race meeting that was taking place at around 8:30 in the evening, the fire broke out and swiftly spread through the wooden grandstands.
The flames prevented many of the spectators from escaping, and they were eventually engulfed by the blaze. The number of fatalities was among the largest ever recorded in a disaster related to sports, and as a direct result of the incident, racetracks all over the world have since implemented more stringent safety standards.