Hong Kong has been hit by its deadliest fire in decades, with at least 44 people confirmed dead and 279 others reported missing as a massive blaze ripped through a cluster of high-rise residential towers in Tai Po district. The fire, which began on Wednesday afternoon, continued burning through the night, with rescue teams still pulling residents from smoke-filled units well into Thursday morning.
Police have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter. The suspects, directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, were taken into custody after investigators found highly flammable Styrofoam material installed outside windows near lift lobbies in the only tower that remained largely unaffected. Police said they believed those responsible had been “grossly negligent”.
Hong Kong fire
The fire started on external scaffolding surrounding one of the 32-storey towers in the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, where major renovation work was underway. Flames rapidly climbed the bamboo scaffolding, aided by strong winds, before jumping to adjoining blocks. Seven of the complex’s eight towers were engulfed, sending columns of fire and dense smoke billowing into the sky.
Officials said the speed and scale of the fire suggested that some exterior wall materials may have fallen short of fire-resistance standards. By Thursday morning, firefighters reported that four buildings were “coming under control”, but conditions remained extremely hazardous.
More than 200 fire engines, 100 ambulances and hundreds of emergency personnel were deployed as evacuation efforts continued through the night. About 900 residents were moved to temporary shelters as firefighters struggled to enter upper floors due to extreme heat and collapsing scaffolding. A 37-year-old firefighter died at the scene, while another suffered heat exhaustion.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to victims’ families and urged authorities to minimise further casualties. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the government would suspend all campaigning for the December 7 Legislative Council elections, adding that decisions on the polls would be announced in the coming days.
Wang Fuk Court houses nearly 4,800 residents, many of them elderly. Built in the 1980s, the estate had been undergoing large-scale renovation, including the bamboo scaffolding now under scrutiny.
The fire is Hong Kong’s worst since 1996, when 41 people were killed in a level 5 blaze in Kowloon.