The number of deaths from a massive blaze at a residential complex in Hong Kong has risen to 55, making it one of the city’s deadliest fires in recent decades, as firefighters continued battling the flames Thursday (November 27).
Authorities reported that 51 victims were discovered at the scene, while four others died after being taken to hospitals.
Dense smoke continued to billow from the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po, a northern district near mainland China.
The fire began Wednesday afternoon and rapidly spread to seven of the development’s eight buildings. Officials said flames in four towers had been extinguished, while the remaining three were under control as of Thursday afternoon. The operation was expected to continue into the evening.
A firefighter was among the fatalities, and more than 70 people were injured, many suffering burns and smoke inhalation.
Resident Lawrence Lee anxiously awaited updates on his wife, who became trapped in their unit. He said she tried to escape when the fire started but was forced back by thick smoke filling the corridors and stairwells.
Winter and Sandy Chung, who lived in another tower, described seeing sparks as they fled. Though safe, they worried for their home. “I couldn’t sleep the entire night,” said 75-year-old Winter.
Police arrested three men—directors and an engineering consultant from a construction company—on suspicion of manslaughter, accusing them of gross negligence. Officers later searched the offices of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, which had overseen renovation work at the complex, and seized boxes of documents.
Authorities suspect that some of the exterior wall materials failed to meet fire-resistance standards, contributing to the rapid spread. Police also discovered highly flammable Styrofoam attached near elevator lobbies in the unaffected tower, believed to have been installed by the construction company. Security Secretary Chris Tang said the materials would undergo further investigation.
The fire is believed to have started on the external scaffolding of a 32-story tower before racing through bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, aided by strong winds. Fire crews used ladder trucks to target the flames, but rescue efforts were extremely challenging.
Fire safety expert Alex Webb called the event “quite shocking,” noting that design regulations usually prevent fires from jumping between buildings. The materials used at the site, he said, could explain the unusual spread.
Bamboo scaffolding, common in Hong Kong construction, has faced increasing scrutiny; officials previously announced plans to phase it out in public projects due to safety concerns.
The housing estate, built in the 1980s and home to roughly 4,800 residents across eight towers and nearly 2,000 units, was undergoing major renovation. Around 900 people spent the night in temporary shelters, and Chief Executive John Lee said contact had been lost with 279 residents. Ongoing rescues continued into Thursday, though updated numbers were not immediately available.
Lee announced immediate inspections of all residential estates undergoing renovations to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Chinese President Xi Jinping extended condolences to the fallen firefighter and expressed sympathy to the victims’ families, according to state broadcaster CCTV, urging authorities to reduce casualties and losses.
This marks Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades; the previous worst was in 1996, when 41 people died in a Kowloon commercial building fire that burned for about 20 hours.
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