Firefighting at Hong Kong blaze ends with deaths over 90, dozens missing

2 weeks ago 14

Police apprehension 3 operation institution officials connected suspicion of manslaughter linked to the gathering renovation.

Published On 28 Nov 2025

Firefighting operations astatine Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze successful decades person ended, a authorities spokesperson said, with the decease toll rising to 94 and dozens much inactive missing.

According to the occurrence service, the flames were “largely extinguished” arsenic of 10:18am (02:18 GMT) connected Friday, and “firefighting operations person ended,” the occurrence work said, announcing the extremity of its operations.

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The eight-tower Wang Fuk Court estate successful the bluish territory of Tai Po, which houses much than 4,600 people, had been undergoing renovations and was wrapped successful bamboo scaffolding and greenish mesh erstwhile the occurrence started and rapidly dispersed connected Wednesday afternoon.

Police said they had arrested 3 operation institution officials connected suspicion of manslaughter for utilizing unsafe materials, including flammable foam boards blocking windows.

On Friday morning, firefighters continued to enactment astatine the still-smouldering complex.

“We’ll endeavour to effect forcible introduction to each the units of the 7 buildings, truthful arsenic to guarantee determination are nary different imaginable casualties,” Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Chan told reporters aboriginal connected Friday.

Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from extracurricular the residential complex, said firefighters person been going done each of the apartments connected Friday trying to find immoderate trapped residents.

“The assemblage is successful a heavy authorities of grief,” she said.

As galore arsenic 279 radical were listed arsenic missing successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday morning, but that fig has not been updated for much than 24 hours.

Chan said 25 calls for assistance to the Fire Department stay unresolved, including 3 successful caller hours, which would beryllium prioritised.

“Hope they tin find much survivors successful the building. I deliberation they had tried their best; the firefighters person done a lot,” nonmigratory Jacky Kwok said.

“It is simply a unspeakable catastrophe that nary 1 wanted to happen.”

Rescuers had battled aggravated heat, thick fume and collapsing scaffolding and debris arsenic they fought to scope residents feared trapped connected the precocious floors of the complex.

On Thursday, a distraught pistillate carrying her daughter’s graduation photograph searched for her kid extracurricular a shelter, 1 of 8 that authorities said were housing 900 residents.

Most of the victims were recovered successful 2 towers successful the complex, portion firefighters recovered survivors successful respective buildings, Chan said, but gave nary further details.

The confirmed decease toll roseate to 94 aboriginal connected Friday, the Hospital Authority said.

Two of the dormant were Indonesian nationals moving arsenic home helpers, the Indonesian consulate said. Hong Kong has astir 368,000 home workers, mostly women from low-income Asian countries who unrecorded with their employers.

The occurrence is present Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948, erstwhile 176 radical died successful a warehouse blaze, and has prompted comparisons to London’s Grenfell Tower inferno, which killed 72 radical successful 2017.

Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, said the authorities would acceptable up a 300-million Hong Kong dollar ($39m) money to assistance residents, portion immoderate of China’s biggest listed companies announced donations.