At least 128 people have died and 200 remain missing after a catastrophic fire tore through Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court housing complex, marking the city's deadliest blaze in more than seven decades. Authorities have arrested 11 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter and corruption as investigations focus on unsafe construction materials and failed fire safety systems that allowed flames to engulf seven of the complex's eight 32-storey towers.
The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in Hong Kong's northern Tai Po district, rapidly spreading through bamboo scaffolding, nylon netting, and polystyrene foam panels used during renovation work. Firefighters battled the inferno for more than 40 hours before extinguishing it Friday morning.
Hong Kong's anti-corruption body arrested eight people Friday, including scaffolding subcontractors, engineering consultant directors, and project managers. Police had earlier detained three others – two directors of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company and an engineering consultant. Officers seized documents and electronic devices from the construction firm's offices.
Survivor accounts reveal terror
Office worker William Li described the moment flames reached his second-floor apartment. «Everything went black before my eyes», he told The Associated Press. «I thought to myself: I'm in serious trouble.»
Li spent two hours trapped inside as fire consumed the building around him. His wife had called warning him to evacuate, but escape routes were already blocked. «That was the moment I began to feel death was very close to me», Li said. «I was terrified, helpless, because I knew my escape route, the doorway, was no longer safe.»
Firefighters eventually rescued Li and two neighbors. When he emerged and reunited with his family, emotions overwhelmed them. «My wife cried until her tears were completely dry, unable to cry anymore», he said. All residents from the 29th floor, where Li previously lived, perished in the blaze.
Cleaner Ding Chan, 70, watched from outside as flames consumed her home. «I had never seen such a massive fire in my entire lifetime», she told The Associated Press. Now displaced with her husband, she faces an uncertain future. «Where am I going to stay?»
Materials under scrutiny
Preliminary investigations indicate flames ignited foam panels covering windows during renovations, according to Chris Tang, the city's security secretary. «The blaze ignited the foam panels, causing the glass to shatter and leading to a swift intensification of the fire and its spread into the interior spaces», he said during the investigation.
Fire services director Andy Yeung revealed that fire alarms failed when tested by first responders. High winds helped spread flames between buildings as the fire climbed scaffolding structures.
Hong Kong's labor department had conducted 16 inspections at Wang Fuk Court since July 2024, issuing multiple warnings about fire safety requirements to contractors. Residents had raised safety concerns about construction netting almost a year before the disaster.
City mourns unprecedented loss
Hong Kong began a three-day mourning period Saturday. Chief Executive John Lee and top ministers stood in silence for three minutes at 8am local time. Flags flew at half-mast across government buildings, and officials cancelled celebratory events.
King Charles sent a letter expressing condolences. «My wife and I were greatly saddened to learn of the devastating fire in Tai Po and feel deeply for the people of Hong Kong at such a tragic time», he wrote. «Our most heartfelt thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones and with those who are now living with shock and uncertainty.»
The government established 18 condolence points across the city and announced a HK$300 million ($4 million) fund for affected residents. About 900 of the complex's 4,800 residents evacuated to temporary shelters, where volunteers provided food, water, and supplies.
Indonesia confirmed six citizens died in the fire, with 11 domestic workers still missing. The Philippines reported one critically injured worker, one missing, and 28 unaccounted for.
Historical scale of tragedy
The Wang Fuk Court fire surpasses a 1996 commercial building blaze in Kowloon that killed 41 people. Only a 1948 warehouse fire, which claimed 176 lives, was deadlier in Hong Kong's history.
Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services, said teams would search all units in the seven affected blocks. «We will endeavour to force entry into all the units of the seven blocks concerned so as to ensure that there are no other possible casualties», he stated.
Investigators continue identifying bodies amid collapsed scaffolding and water damage from firefighting efforts. Of 128 confirmed deaths, authorities had identified 39 victims by Friday.
Lee announced a task force to investigate the disaster and pledged to inspect all housing estates undergoing major repairs to review scaffolding and construction material safety.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management announced Saturday it would launch a nationwide fire safety inspection campaign for high-rise buildings, focusing on external wall renovations, flammable materials, and fire safety equipment.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
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