Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Kills Over 40, Hundreds Missing; Construction Firm Executives Arrested
Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Kills Over 40, Hundreds Missing; Construction Firm Executives Arrested
The Level-5 blaze ripped through multiple residential towers in the Tai Po district, leaving a trail of casualties and prompting Hong Kong’s largest firefighting deployment in recent years.
A massive fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has claimed the lives of at least 44 people, with authorities confirming that 279 individuals remain unaccounted for as rescue work continues. The blaze broke out in Wang Fuk Court, a public housing complex, and quickly spread across several buildings, leaving residents trapped and forcing emergency crews into an all-night battle.
The fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon and intensified after dark, prompting officials to raise the alert to Level 5, the highest classification in Hong Kong’s emergency system. The flames engulfed parts of as many as seven high-rise buildings, aided by bamboo scaffolding and construction netting surrounding the structures. Thick black smoke was seen billowing from multiple apartment floors as firefighters struggled to gain control.
More than 800 firefighters, supported by 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances, were deployed to the scene. Nine people were declared dead at the site, while others succumbed at hospitals, taking the death toll up further. At least 15 people were injured, and over 700 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters. A firefighter was among the dead, and another is being treated for heat exhaustion.
Authorities said the housing complex consists of eight towers with nearly 2,000 apartments, home to an estimated 4,800 residents. The rapid spread of the fire raised immediate concerns about safety materials used during ongoing renovation work.
Hong Kong Police have arrested three executives of a construction firm — two directors and an engineering consultant, aged between 52 and 68 — on suspicion of manslaughter. Investigators said they found non-fireproof mesh, plastic protective sheets and Styrofoam installed on the building exteriors, materials that may have accelerated the fire’s spread.
Police stated: “We have reason to believe that those in charge at the company were grossly negligent, which led to the fire spreading uncontrollably and causing major casualties.”
The cause of the initial fire remains unknown, and a full investigation is underway. Authorities noted that bamboo scaffolding, widely used in Hong Kong’s construction projects, has long posed safety risks. Earlier this year, the government announced plans to gradually phase it out for public works.
As search-and-rescue teams continue combing through affected floors, hopes remain focused on finding survivors among the hundreds still missing. The disaster stands as one of Hong Kong’s deadliest residential fires in recent decades.
