HONG KONG: A massive fire that has torn through a densely populated apartment complex in Hong Kong has killed at least 55 people and left nearly 300 missing, with authorities now investigating whether grossly negligent construction practices contributed to the unprecedented disaster.
More than a day after the blaze began on Wednesday afternoon, firefighters were still struggling to reach residents trapped in upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district. Thick smoke, extreme heat and falling scaffolding have severely hindered rescue efforts.
The tightly packed complex contains 2,000 flats across eight high-rise blocks, home to more than 4,600 residents, many of them elderly. The tragedy has quickly become the city’s deadliest fire since 1948, when a warehouse blaze killed 176 people.
‘What’s left now?’ — Residents devastated as search continues
Survivors described scenes of chaos and fear as flames swept through the building. Wan, a 51-year-old resident, said she lost everything.
“We bought our home more than 20 years ago. All of our belongings were inside. Everything is gone. What are we supposed to do now?”
Among the dead was a 37-year-old firefighter, found with severe burns after losing contact with colleagues. Authorities say 56 injured people are receiving hospital care, including 16 in critical and 24 in serious condition.
Police superintendent Eileen Chung said 900 residents had been moved to emergency shelters across the district. As night fell on Thursday, flames continued to burn inside apartments, lighting the sky with an orange glow.
Warnings ignored? Police suspect unsafe materials used in construction
Police have arrested three men — two directors and an engineering consultant from the complex’s contracted construction company — on suspicion of manslaughter.
Investigators say early evidence points to dangerously substandard building practices, including:
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Scaffolding wrapped in plastic and mesh sheeting that may have fuelled the fire.
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Several sealed windows reportedly filled with foam insulation, a flammable material.
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Renovation work that had been ongoing for a year at a cost of HK$330 million ($42 million).
“We believe the responsible parties were grossly negligent, which allowed the fire to spread uncontrollably and caused major casualties,” police superintendent Chung said.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has also launched an inquiry into possible graft linked to the renovation.
Families still searching for loved ones
Outside shelters and temporary aid centres, families frantically searched for missing relatives. Some held photographs as they waited for news.
Ng, a 52-year-old mother, sobbed as she held her daughter’s graduation picture.
“My daughter and her father are still inside. They didn’t have water to save our building,” she said.
Online, residents shared a crowdsourced missing persons list via Google documents. Entries included descriptions such as “Mother-in-law in her 70s, missing,” “one boy and one girl,” and stark messages like “27th floor, room 1: He is dead.”
Reuters said it could not independently verify the document.
Foreign nationals among the victims
Indonesia’s foreign ministry confirmed that two Indonesian domestic workers died in the blaze and two others were injured.
The death toll is expected to rise as firefighters gain access to higher floors.
Comparisons with Grenfell — and rising anger
The inferno has drawn comparisons to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, which killed 72 people due to flammable cladding and regulatory failures.
The survivors’ group Grenfell United expressed solidarity:
“Our hearts go out to all those affected. You are not alone.”
Public frustration in Hong Kong is mounting, especially with the city preparing for legislative elections in December. High property prices, overcrowded living conditions and long delays in public housing remain politically charged issues.
China, Pakistan express condolences
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged authorities to mount an “all-out effort” to extinguish the fire and minimise further casualties. He offered condolences to the families of the victims, including the firefighter who died.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed deep sorrow:
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of China, especially Hong Kong SAR, during this difficult time.”
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar likewise conveyed condolences, calling the blaze “devastating”.
Long-time residents left homeless
Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived in the complex for over 40 years, recounted hearing a loud noise at around 2:45 pm before seeing flames erupt in a neighbouring tower.
“I don’t know what to feel. I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight.”
Residents were evacuated on large buses, while adjacent blocks were also cleared as a precaution. Sections of a nearby highway were shut down as firefighters fought the blaze from multiple angles.
A city scarred
Deadly fires were once common in Hong Kong’s poorer neighbourhoods, but decades of strict regulations have sharply reduced such tragedies. Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983 under a subsidised homeownership scheme, is located in one of the most densely populated regions in the world.
The catastrophe is likely to renew scrutiny over building inspections, renovation contracts, and fire safety enforcement in the city’s ageing housing estates.
As night fell again over Tai Po, plumes of smoke still curled from shattered windows, and families gathered outside shelters — waiting, hoping, and mourning.
