The death toll from a catastrophic fire that ripped through multiple high-rise residential blocks in Hong Kong has risen to at least 146, authorities confirmed on Sunday, marking the city’s deadliest blaze in more than seven decades. Police warned the figure could climb further, with 79 people injured and 150 still missing as search and recovery efforts continue.
The massive fire broke out on Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a densely populated housing complex in the northern Tai Po district. Within minutes, flames leapt across seven of the estate’s eight tower blocks, fueled by what authorities now believe were highly flammable external materials and extensive bamboo scaffolding installed for ongoing renovation work.
Thousands gathered outside the charred compound on Sunday, forming a nearly 2km queue to lay flowers, burn incense, and mourn the victims. Many wept as officials confirmed the latest rise in fatalities, which have steadily increased as emergency teams move deeper into the now-stabilised structures.
“We cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities,” police spokesperson Tsang Shuk-yin said at a press briefing, noting that searches have so far been completed in only four of the eight towers. Authorities expect the investigation to take three to four weeks.
The fire took more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue and was only fully extinguished on Friday morning. According to the fire department, temperatures inside the towers reached as high as 500°C (932°F). At least 12 firefighters were injured, and one, 37-year-old Ho Wai-ho, died after collapsing at the scene roughly 30 minutes after losing radio contact with his unit.
The international toll is also emerging. Indonesia’s consulate reported at least seven of its nationals dead, while the Philippines confirmed one fatality.
Although the exact cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, early investigations point to a combination of unsafe materials and negligence during the buildings’ renovation. Plastic netting and other flammable materials wrapped around the towers are believed to have accelerated the rapid vertical and horizontal spread of the fire.
Hong Kong’s distinctive bamboo scaffolding—an age-old construction method still widely used—has also come under renewed scrutiny. Critics argue it creates deadly fire pathways, especially when combined with non-fire-resistant netting.
Adding to public outrage, many residents reported they did not hear alarms when the fire erupted. Fire officials later revealed that none of the eight blocks had fully functioning alarm systems at the time of the incident.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has arrested eight people on suspicion of corruption connected to the renovation works, including directors at an engineering firm and scaffolding subcontractors. Police have also detained three individuals on manslaughter charges, alleging severe negligence led to the fire’s uncontrollable spread.
A police spokesperson earlier stated investigators have reason to believe “those in charge at the company were grossly negligent,” contributing to the scale of the catastrophe.
In the wake of the scandal, the Buildings Department has temporarily suspended work on 30 private construction projects across the city.
Public anger intensified further on Saturday when police detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition. He had been part of a group collecting signatures for an independent commission to investigate the disaster. Critics say the arrest underscores shrinking space for dissent in the city.
A three-day mourning period declared by Hong Kong’s authorities began Saturday, with flags flown at half-mast and officials observing three minutes of silence. Throughout the weekend, long lines of residents streamed into the Wang Fuk Court estate, leaving handwritten notes, white chrysanthemums, and candles along nearby pavements.
Built in 1983, Wang Fuk Court housed nearly 4,600 residents across 1,984 apartments. A 2021 census found that almost 40% of its residents were aged 65 or older, many longtime tenants who had lived in the subsidised estate since its construction.
This tragedy is surpassed only by two fires in Hong Kong’s history: a 1948 warehouse explosion that killed 176 people, and the 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse blaze, which claimed more than 600 lives.
