Hong Kong’s Worst Fire in 80 Years Kills 94 as Search Nears End

Hong Kong authorities said on Friday that they were close to completing search and rescue operations after the city’s deadliest fire in almost eight decades. The huge blaze tore through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po, killing at least 94 people. Many others are still unaccounted for.

The fire started on Wednesday afternoon and spread rapidly. The eight-tower housing estate was under renovation. It was covered in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh.
Firefighters said the material helped the flames move quickly across the buildings. More than 4,600 people lived in the estate.

Police arrested the owners of a construction company involved in the renovation. They are suspected of manslaughter. Officers said flammable foam boards had been placed over windows, blocking escape routes.

By Friday morning, the fire was mostly contained, but parts of the complex were still smouldering.
Deputy Director of Fire Services Derek Armstrong Chan said most victims were found in two high-rise towers. He said firefighters would break into every unit in seven buildings to make sure no one was left behind.

As of early Thursday, 279 people were listed as missing. The number has not been updated since. Chan said 25 emergency calls remained unresolved, including three new calls that would be handled on priority.

People waited outside the area hoping for good news. Resident Jacky Kwok said he prayed more survivors would be found.
He said firefighters had done everything they could in extremely dangerous conditions.

Others searched desperately for their loved ones. On Thursday, a woman carrying her daughter’s graduation photo cried outside a shelter.
She said her daughter and husband were still missing. “They didn’t have water to save our building,” she said.

Fire crews battled intense heat and thick smoke. The bamboo scaffolding kept breaking and falling, making the rescue even harder.
Authorities said eight shelters were opened for nearly 900 displaced residents. Some evacuees spent the night in a nearby mall on makeshift bedding. Many said they preferred not to take shelter space from families who needed it more.

Deadliest Blaze Since 1948

The Hospital Authority confirmed the death toll had reached 94.
Two Indonesian domestic workers were among the dead. Hong Kong hosts nearly 368,000 domestic helpers, mostly from poorer Asian countries.

The fire is the worst since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze. Many compared the tragedy to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people. That disaster was also blamed on unsafe construction materials.

Police Make Arrests; Unsafe Practices Suspected

Police arrested two directors and a consultant from Prestige Construction, the firm working on the estate.
Superintendent Eileen Chung said investigators believed the company used unsafe materials and acted with “gross negligence.”
Authorities seized employee lists, bidding documents, computers, and mobile phones from the company’s office.

The government said it was now considering replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal scaffolding citywide to prevent similar accidents.

Government Announces Support Fund

Chief Executive John Lee said the government would create a HK$300 million relief fund for affected families.
Several large Chinese companies also pledged donations to support victims.

On Thursday night, evacuees gathered outside a mall. Elderly residents, parents, and children wrapped themselves in blankets as volunteers handed out snacks and toiletries.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most crowded urban areas, filled with high-rise housing blocks.
The disaster comes at a time when public frustration over housing conditions is already high. Analysts say the fire may increase pressure on authorities, even as the government tightens political control.

Officials in both Hong Kong and Beijing reacted quickly, signalling that they viewed the incident as a major test of public trust.