Hong Kong Fire: What We Know So Far

At least 128 people have been killed in the deadliest fire in the recent history of Hong Kong that engulfed multiple high rise buildings Wednesday afternoon

At least 128 people have been killed in the deadliest fire in the recent history of Hong Kong that engulfed multiple high rise buildings Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities said on Friday that only 39 of the 128 dead had been identified. The death toll is likely to go further up as dozens others are still trapped under the debris. A massive rescue operation is underway to clear the debris.

Domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines were also caught up in the tragedy. Indonesia has confirmed six of its citizens died in the incident. The Philippines said one of its nationals is critically injured, another is confirmed missing, and 28 are thought to be residents of the area but their whereabouts are unknown.

Hong Kong has around 368,000 domestic workers, mostly women from low-income Asian countries who live with their employers, often in cramped spaces, according to Reuters.

How the fire started?

The fire began about 2:51pm (06:51 GMT) local time Wednesday after an apartment complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po neighbourhood caught fire.

The starting point of the deadly blaze was the bamboo scaffolding outside one of the buildings. This type of scaffolding, made from bamboo poles used by workers during repairs, burns very easily. Once the scaffolding caught fire, the flames quickly spread up the structure and into the building, and then to nearby towers, Al Jazeera reported.

The eight residential blocks in the estate had been undergoing renovations since July 2024, covered in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh. The blocks were also wrapped in green construction netting all the way to the rooftops due to ongoing renovation work, which also caught fire, helping it spread faster.

According to local media, the fire intensified rapidly: By 3:34 PM (07:34 GMT), it had reached a level four alarm, and by 6:22 PM (10:22 GMT), it had reached a level five alarm – the highest alert level in Hong Kong.

Authorities say highly flammable styrofoam material used in renovation works caused fire to spread rapidly, according to South China Morning Post.

The blaze is Hong Kong’s deadliest in more than 100 years. In 1918, a fire ripped through the city’s Happy Valley Racecourse, killing 614 people. Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record was in 1948 when 176 people were killed in the fire caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse.

Hong Kong Fire Latest Update

As on Friday the death toll in the fire is estimated at 128, including a firefighter. As many as 79 residents, including 12 firefighters, have been injured and shifted to hospitals.

Rescue work continues as raging flames in all blocks have been brought under control in Wang Fuk Court. But, the status and fate of some 200 people are still unclear.

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has arrested two directors of Will Power Architects Company, the consultancy in charge of the renovation project at fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, followed by six more people later, bringing the number of arrests to 11 over the blaze that has claimed 128 lives.

3-Day Mourning for Fire Victims

Hong Kong has announced three day mourning for the fire victims.

Families and mourners gathered to lay flowers while some faced the grim task of looking at photographs of the dead taken by rescue workers.

Hong Kong’s Lee has said the government would set up a HK$300 million ($40 million) fund to help residents while some of China’s biggest listed companies have pledged donations.

Hundreds of volunteers have also mobilised to help the victims, sorting and distributing items from diapers to hot food.

They formed teams to collect, transport and distribute goods in round-the-clock shifts and have set up a sprawling support camp for displaced residents beside a shopping mall across from the complex.

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