The death toll in Hong Kong’s worst fire in more than half a century has risen to at least 55, with some 279 people still missing.
The fire, spanning seven blocks of a high-rise housing complex, is still yet to be fully extinguished over 24 hours after it broke out in the northern Tai Po district, though officials say it has now been “contained” in the final three blocks.
Police have arrested three construction company executives, two directors and one engineering consultant on suspicion of manslaughter.
Rescue teams are going floor-by-floor searching apartments for survivors in areas of the towers where the fire has been extinguished, and the death toll is expected to continue to rise.
Around 76 people are in hospital, including 15 in critical condition and 28 in serious condition.
Wang Fuk Court is a 2,000-unit residential complex made up of eight blocks in total, and was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire.
Experts say bamboo scaffolding likely allowed the fire to spread quickly between buildings.
John Lee, Hong Kong's chief executive, says the government may postpone a 7 December general election, calling the blaze a “massive catastrophe”.
Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
Fire safety experts explain how Hong Kong inferno spread so quickly to multiple towers
‘Gallant’ firefighter identified as first victim of Hong Kong fire
At least 44 killed and hundreds missing after huge inferno devastates apartments in Hong Kong
Key Points
- Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 55
- Construction executives arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
- Watch: Deadly fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rise apartment blocks
- ‘Gallant’ firefighter identified as first victim of Hong Kong fire
- Comment: Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
In pictures: Firefighters continue painstaking search through burned-out towers
10:02 , Shweta SharmaFresh images from the scene show firefighters combing through the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, searching between floors as the operation enters its second day.
Crews are seen navigating smoke-stained corridors and debris as they look for any remaining survivors.
Another photograph shows firefighters walking past the charred remains of bamboo scaffolding that once wrapped the towers – material authorities believe helped the blaze spread rapidly to neighbouring blocks.
Mother searches for missing daughter
09:45 , Shweta SharmaA distraught woman clutching her daughter’s graduation photograph searched desperately for her child outside one of eight shelters now housing about 900 residents.
“She and her father still haven’t come out,” sobbed the 52-year-old, who gave only her surname, Ng.
“They didn’t have water to save our building.”
Nearly 300 people remain missing as search operation continued.
Beijing task force arrives to support fire rescue efforts
09:37 , Shweta SharmaChina’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office says a task force has arrived in Hong Kong to assist with the ongoing fire rescue and response efforts.
Authorities say the team will support local services as search and recovery operations continue.
Volunteers seek lost pets amid Hong Kong deadly fire wreckage
09:30 , Shweta SharmaDozens of workers from animal welfare agencies have swung into action to rescue hundreds of missing pets as firefighters scramble to find survivors from the dead inferno.
Workers showed up with oxygenated pet carriers and animal ambulances to search for pets in the blazing complex, as social media posts depicted elderly people weeping for animals they left behind in the rush to save human lives.
Some animal welfare workers carrying cages negotiated with police to allow them through cordons keeping out the public, as the fire raged in the complex on Thursday.
"Pet owners contacted our alliance and we compiled a list of more than 100 cases," said Anson Cheng, of the animal welfare group Hong Kong Guardians.
"We shared the cases with firefighters so that they can help check the flats and pick up the pets if they see them."
Cheng said as of Thursday morning, at least 10 cats, seven dogs and several turtles had been rescued.
Hong Kong's system of micro-chipping dogs and cats meant it was possible that some survivors could be reunited with pets that managed to escape the blaze, said Cheng.
Huddling under a blanket in a nearby park, a woman surnamed Law said she had been waiting for her cat overnight and had been searching online platforms for news. She had left 10-year-old Fa when she fled her apartment, expecting to return.
"It was a very small fire when I went down," she said. "Half an hour later, the fire already went all the way to the top. Nearby areas were also burning, there's no way to get back in. I feel bad."
Fire safety experts explain how Hong Kong inferno spread so quickly to multiple towers
09:15 , Shweta SharmaThe towering inferno that burnt down multiple high-rises and killed dozens of people in Hong Kong was fuelled by highly flammable scaffolding material, fire safety experts said.
At least 44 people died and nearly 280 were missing after a fire tore through several densely populated apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on Wednesday.
The death toll is the highest in a fire in Hong Kong since World War II, surpassing the 41 killed in a commercial building fire in the Kowloon district in 1996.
Fire safety experts explain how Hong Kong blaze spread so quickly to multiple towers
Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
09:00 , Shweta SharmaIt is hard to imagine a world city that would be more devastated by a high-rise inferno like the one that struck Hong Kong on Wednesday, with the fire still yet to be brought under control. The images of Wang Fuk Court’s eight residential blocks lit up like tinderboxes have been met with shock around the world, but have sent a particular chill through homes in the Asian financial powerhouse.
The fire strikes to the city’s core: Hong Kong is its skyscrapers, from the giant office tower blocks in Central that bring in its fortune to the residential developments that cover every inch of buildable land in this compact metropolis.
Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
In pictures: Emotional residents break down as rescue continues
08:45 , Shweta Sharma
John Lee arrives at scene to inspect fire rescue operation
08:25 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong chief executive John Lee has just arrived at Wang Fuk Court, where the fire ripped through seven buildings.
Lee arrived to inspect the emergency response more than 24 hours after the fire began.The city's chief was accompanied by dozens of police officers.
Photos of deceased posted at community hall for identification
07:57 , Shweta SharmaPhotos of the deceased have been put up at Kwong Fuk Community Hall for families searching for missing relatives, as nearly 24 hours have passed since the fire broke out.
Families looking for their loved ones have already lined up outside to find their missing family members.
Families have been asked to look at the pictures and identify their family members.
Fire official warns of dangers from collapsing scaffolding
07:37 , Shweta SharmaFirefighters and search and rescue teams at the scene "have to take extra care" because there are concerns about burnt bamboo scaffolding collapsing on them, deputy director of fire services Wong Ka-wing said.
He said parts of the badly burnt scaffolding have already collapsed.
“Temperatures at the fire scene are extremely high, so we push with a strategy of floor-by-floor," he said.
He said each floor was being scoured by an eight-strong team and described the building areas as "not too large".
Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 55
07:20 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s fire department says the confirmed death toll from the Tai Po blaze has risen to 55, with scores more wounded.
The death toll includes four people who died in hospital, a spokesman said at a news conference.
Fifty-one others died at the scene.
In pictures: Residents look through donated items
07:16 , Shweta SharmaThe latest pictures from the Hong Kong housing complex show residents sorting through donated items.
Hundreds were left homeless and forced to spend the night in shelters after a massive blaze tore through the Wang Fuk Court estate.
Fire at all seven blocks under control - report
07:05 , Shweta SharmaFires at four of the seven residential blocks have been extinguished, while the remaining three are now under control, according to the South China Morning Post.
Four drones are being used to monitor the scene, and 11 fire hoses, along with 26 rescue teams, have been deployed.
In total, the Fire Services Department has mobilised 1,250 firefighters and dispatched 304 fire engines and rescue vehicles.
‘Gallant’ firefighter identified as first victim of Hong Kong fire
06:46 , Shweta SharmaA firefighter has been named as one of the 44 people killed in the massive blaze that engulfed a Hong Kong apartment complex on Wednesday.
Nearly 280 people were still unaccounted for as firefighters battled one of the city’s deadliest fires for the second day on Thursday.
The blaze started on the external scaffolding of a 32-storey tower, engulfed its bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, moved inside the building, and eventually leapt to nearby high-rises, likely aided by windy conditions.
One of the fighters, Ho Wai Ho, 37, died while saving residents at the Wang Fuk Court building in Tai Po.
‘Gallant’ firefighter identified as first victim of Hong Kong fire
Two Indonesian domestic workers were among those killed
06:22 , Shweta SharmaTwo Indonesian domestic workers were among those who were killed in the housing complex fire in Tai Po on Wednesday.
The Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong confirmed the two deaths of its nationals, while two other Indonesians were injured.
A firefighter was the first of those killed on Wednesday to be named.
The 37-year-old, Ho Wai Ho, was dispatched to the scene at 3.01pm and found collapsed a short time later.
The identities of other victims killed in the fire are yet to be confirmed.
App launched to show missing persons
06:14 , Shweta SharmaAn online app has been launched with missing persons reports relating to the Hong Kong fire, where 44 people have died.
It visualises reports submitted through a linked Google document with information of residents broken down by individual towers and rooms.
It includes descriptions like "Mother-in-law in her 70s, missing" or "one boy and one girl" or "Rooftop: 33-year-old male.
"One description simply says "27th floor, room 1: He is dead.
"The crowdsourcing app appears to list all the apartments in the Wang Fuk Court high-rises.
According to the site, more than 100 apartments still had residents unaccounted for as of 8.30am Hong Kong time, most of them in blocks E and F.
Tai Po fire is the deadliest in more than 60 years
05:47 , Shweta SharmaThis is Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in more than six decades, with at least 44 people confirmed dead and 279 still unaccounted for.
The current toll matches that of the August 1962 blaze in Sham Shui Po, which killed 44 people and left hundreds homeless after around 50lbs (22.7kg) of fireworks stored on-site caused the flames to race up the building, according to the South China Morning Post.
Other major tragedies include the 1996 Garley Building fire in Kowloon, which killed 41 people and injured 81.
Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze on record occurred in 1948, when an explosion on the ground floor of a warehouse storing “dangerous goods” ignited a fire that claimed 176 lives, the SCMP reported.
Fire safety experts explain how Hong Kong inferno spread so quickly to multiple towers
05:31 , Shweta SharmaThe towering inferno that burnt down multiple high-rises and killed dozens of people in Hong Kong was fuelled by highly flammable scaffolding material, fire safety experts said.
At least 44 people died and nearly 280 were missing after a fire tore through several densely populated apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on Wednesday.
The death toll is the highest in a fire in Hong Kong since World War II, surpassing the 41 killed in a commercial building fire in the Kowloon district in 1996.
With winds fanning the flames leaping out of seven buildings, the fire was not expected to be brought under control until the end of the day on Thursday.
Fire safety experts explain how Hong Kong blaze spread so quickly to multiple towers
Volunteers seek lost pets amid Hong Kong deadly fire wreckage
05:13 , Shweta SharmaDozens of workers from animal welfare agencies have swung into action to rescue hundreds of missing pets as firefighters scramble to find survivors from the dead inferno.
Workers showed up with oxygenated pet carriers and animal ambulances to search for pets in the blazing complex, as social media posts depicted elderly people weeping for animals they left behind in the rush to save human lives.
Some animal welfare workers carrying cages negotiated with police to allow them through cordons keeping out the public, as the fire raged in the complex on Thursday.
"Pet owners contacted our alliance and we compiled a list of more than 100 cases," said Anson Cheng, of the animal welfare group Hong Kong Guardians.
"We shared the cases with firefighters so that they can help check the flats and pick up the pets if they see them."
Cheng said as of Thursday morning, at least 10 cats, seven dogs and several turtles had been rescued.
Hong Kong's system of micro-chipping dogs and cats meant it was possible that some survivors could be reunited with pets that managed to escape the blaze, said Cheng.
Huddling under a blanket in a nearby park, a woman surnamed Law said she had been waiting for her cat overnight and had been searching online platforms for news. She had left 10-year-old Fa when she fled her apartment, expecting to return.
"It was a very small fire when I went down," she said. "Half an hour later, the fire already went all the way to the top. Nearby areas were also burning, there's no way to get back in. I feel bad."
Fresh pictures from Hong Kong show worried residents forced to sleep on streets and shelters
04:55 , Shweta SharmaAbout 900 people were evacuated to temporary shelters overnight after a huge blaze ripped through several buildings in Tai Po.
Many residents spent the night at the homes of friends or relatives. Some were seen camping on the streets with their blankets and beds.
Community halls have been stocked with relief supplies, providing food and water for displaced residents.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the tower blocks as a result of the fire.
Hong Kong chief says city's priority is to extinguish fire
04:36 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s chief executive John Lee has given the latest updates on the fire at an early morning briefing.
"The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped," Lee told reporters.
"The second is to support the injured. The third is to support and recover. Then, we'll launch a thorough investigation."
Some 279 people were uncontactable and 900 were in eight shelters, he added.
He said the government is suspending all campaigning ahead of the 7 December Legislative Council election to focus on relief efforts following the deadly fire.
Lee declined to say whether the election might be postponed.
The upcoming vote is only the second since Beijing overhauled Hong Kong’s electoral system, changes widely seen as tightening central control over the city.
Recap: Three arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to blaze that left at least 44 dead
04:00 , Harriette BoucherThree men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to the fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, which has killed at least 44 people.
The blaze ripped through three blocks of a high-rise housing complex in the Tai Po district on Wednesday.
Hong Kong police said 45 people remained in critical condition.
The fire broke out at 2.51pm local time on Wednesday and by 6.22pm it had been upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, which is the country’s highest alert.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, which is thought to have spread via the bamboo scaffolding on the buildings’ exterior.
Hong Kong considers postponing 'patriots only' election after deadly fire
03:52 , Shweta SharmaHong Kong’s chief executive John Lee has said the government may postpone the 7 December “patriots only” election following the deadly high-rise fire that has killed dozens and left hundreds missing.
Calling the blaze a “massive catastrophe,” Lee said authorities must prioritise rescue and recovery before turning to political matters.
“We will make a comprehensive review and decision in several days based on Hong Kong’s overall interests,” he told reporters.
Election forums scheduled for Thursday and Friday have been suspended. Several political parties have also halted campaigning until further notice, citing the scale of the tragedy and the ongoing rescue operations.
Lee said the immediate priority remains “to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped”, followed by supporting the injured and families affected.
A “thorough investigation” into the cause of the blaze will follow.
Hong Kong was due to go to the polls to elect all 90 members of its once-powerful Legislative Council, though the body is seen as increasingly controlled by Beijing after it banned candidates who favour pro-democracy reforms.
Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
03:27 , Shweta SharmaIt is hard to imagine a world city that would be more devastated by a high-rise inferno like the one that struck Hong Kong on Wednesday, with the fire still yet to be brought under control. The devastating images of Wang Fuk Court’s eight residential blocks lit up like tinderboxes have been met with shock around the world, but have sent a particular chill through homes in the Asian financial powerhouse.
The fire strikes to the city’s core: Hong Kong is its skyscrapers, from the giant office tower blocks in Central that bring in its fortune to the residential developments that cover every inch of buildable land in this compact metropolis.
Everyone I know in Hong Kong lives in a high-rise building - the soaring cost of rent makes it impossible to do otherwise, unless you base yourself on a remote island. This morning they are looking out of their own 30th-floor windows wondering – could my home be next? And how would I escape from up here if it was?
Read out Asia editor Adam Withnall’s comment piece.
Hong Kong’s devastating fire must spell the end of bamboo scaffolding
Here’s what we know so far about the Hong Kong high-rise fire
03:14 , Shweta Sharma- Three construction officials have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, police said on Thursday.
- At least 44 people have been killed, 45 people are in a critical condition and 270 are still missing after the massive fire tore through several high-rise towers.
- While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, police say polystyrene boards were found blocking windows at the renovation site, a factor that may have helped the flames spread rapidly. Authorities also believe the fire travelled quickly, including to neighbouring buildings, via the bamboo scaffolding surrounding the towers.
- It began on Wednesday afternoon and was still burning on Thursday morning. Authorities suspect exterior building materials failed to meet fire-safety standards, contributing to the fire’s rapid spread.
- Those arrested include two construction company directors and a consultant, aged between 52 and 68.
- Police said flammable foam boards were installed outside elevator lobby windows on every floor of one of the buildings. Investigators believe there was “gross negligence” during construction, leading to the scale of the disaster.
- The fire started around 2.50pm in the Tai Po district and quickly spread across multiple towers in the Wang Fuk Court complex, a dense estate of about 2,000 flats, currently covered in bamboo scaffolding.
- Emergency services have deployed more than 1,200 fire and ambulance personnel, and over 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters.
- Local district contacts say families are still reporting missing members who were inside their homes when the fire broke out.
- From the mainland, China's president Xi Jinping urged an "all-out effort" to extinguish the fire and to minimise casualties and losses, China's state broadcaster CCTV said.
Tai Po district blaze deadliest fire in decades
03:00 , Harriette BoucherThe fire that ripped through high-rise apartment blocks in Tai Po on Wednesday is the deadliest blaze Hong Kong has seen in years.
In November 1996, 41 people died in a commercial building in Kowloon in a level five fire that lasted for around 20 hours.
Wednesday’s fire has killed at least 44 people, while 45 people remain in critical condition.
Latest images show Tai Po fire is still burning
02:54 , Shweta SharmaThe fire is still burning in several blocks at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, where firefighters worked through the night to try and contain it.
The fire began at around 3pm Hong Kong time on Wednesday.
By early Thursday morning, authorities said they had brought the fire in four blocks under control, with operations continuing in three blocks after more than 15 hours.
The authorities have said it could still take all of Thursday to completely extinguish the fire
Taiwan's president offers prayers for Hong Kong after apartment complex fire
02:44 , Shweta SharmaTaiwan’s president Lai Ching-te on Thursday offered his condolences to the people of Hong Kong over the huge fire still burning in an apartment complex, which has so far killed at least 44 people.
"At this moment, let us join together in prayers for Hong Kong. I extend my deepest condolences to all Hong Kong friends who lost their lives in this disaster and to their families," Lai said in a post on his X account.
Over 100 pets trapped in buildings, according to Chinese media
02:00 , Harriette BoucherAt least 100 pets are said to be trapped in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, according to the Hong Kong Pet Club.
“We estimate that every block has more than 10 animals of different species,” said Zoie Cheng Kam-shan, the business development director of the pet rescue group.
“We have received over 70 reports but are receiving more. So I estimate that there will be more than 100.”
Tai Po housing complex was undergoing major renovations
01:00 , Harriette BoucherTai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is an established suburban district with a population of about 300,000.
Local television broadcaster TVB said the complex was undergoing major renovations. Wang Fuk Court is a complex under the government's subsidised home ownership scheme.
It has been occupied since 1983, according to the property's website.
Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction.
The bamboo scaffolding is used as an alternative to steel scaffolding and is commonly used in the construction industry in Asian countries.
Watch: At least 44 dead as huge fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rise apartment blocks
00:41 , Harriette BoucherWang Fuk Court is one of Hong Kong’s major housing estates
Wednesday 26 November 2025 23:01 , Harriette BoucherWang Fuk Court, a large public housing complex of eight residential blocks with nearly 2,000 units, has been partially wrapped in bamboo scaffolding – a traditional construction method still widely used in Hong Kong.
Several of these scaffolded towers are now at the centre of a major fire that has prompted the closure of a key highway.
Construction executives arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:33 , Harriette BoucherThree construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to the blaze, police said.
Two directors and a consultant, aged between between 52 to 68-years-old, have been detained.
Police found polystyrene boards that were blocking windows of the building and suspect they, along with substandard construction materials, may have caused the rapid spread of the fire, the BBC reported.
Tai Po fires 'truly devastating', says foreign secretary
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:30 , Harriette BoucherDangerous conditions curbing efforts to extinguish fire
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:27 , Harriette BoucherFire representatives said that dangerous conditions, including working overnight and the high temperatures inside the building, have slowed their progress.
Fire department's deputy director Derek Armstrong Chan said crews were expecting it to take the entire day on Thursday before the fire is contained.
It is currently under control in four of the eight buildings.
Three men arrested on suspicion of manslaughter aged between 52 and 68-years-old, police say
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:22 , Harriette BoucherThe three men arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to the blaze that ripped through residential buildings in Hong Kong were aged between 52 and 68-years-old.
The death toll has now hit 44, while another 45 people remain in critical condition.
Death toll hits 44 as firefighters work to put out blaze
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:01 , Harriette BoucherAt least 44 people have been confirmed dead after a fire ripped through residential buildings in the Tai Po district on Wednesday.
Authorities have confirmed that another 45 people are in critical condition.
Deadly fire 'may have been caused by bamboo scaffolding'
Wednesday 26 November 2025 22:00 , Daniel KeaneA deadly fire that erupted in a set of apartment blocks in Hong Kong may have spread because the buildings were sheathed in bamboo scaffolding, it has been reported.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire but the bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh in the buildings may have helped it to spread quickly across the apartments, according to The Guardian.
The housing complex was built in the 1980s and has recently been undergoing a major renovation.
Bamboo scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong at building construction and renovation projects, though the government said earlier this year that it would start phasing it out for public projects because of safety concerns.
Xi Jinping expresses condolences to families of victims
Wednesday 26 November 2025 21:30 , Daniel KeaneChinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed condolences to the firefighter who died and extended sympathies to the families of the victims, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
He also urged efforts to minimise casualties and losses.
Fire is deadliest to hit Hong Kong in decades
Wednesday 26 November 2025 21:00 , Daniel KeaneThe fire at the apartments in Tai Po is the deadliest to hit Hong Kong in years.
In November 1996, 41 people died in a commercial building in Kowloon in a fire that lasted for about 20 hours.
That fire was found to be caused by welding during internal renovations.
In pictures: At least 44 killed in Tai Po district blaze
Wednesday 26 November 2025 20:46 , Harriette Boucher
Watch: Deadly fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rise apartment blocks
Wednesday 26 November 2025 20:34 , Harriette BoucherHong Kong apartments contained more than 4,800 residents
Wednesday 26 November 2025 20:30 , Daniel KeaneThe housing complex in Tai Po consisted of eight buildings with almost 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 residents, including many elderly people.
The complex was built in the 1980s and has recently been undergoing a major renovation.
Fire chiefs said high temperatures at the scene made it difficult for crews to mount rescue operations.
Three arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to Tai Po blaze
Wednesday 26 November 2025 20:08 , Harriette BoucherThree men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to the Tai Po fire, according to Radio Television Hong Kong.
Police are expected to hold a press conference shortly to provide further details.
Hong Kong opens emergency shelters after Wang Fuk Court fire
Wednesday 26 November 2025 20:00 , Maira ButtHong Kong authorities have opened temporary shelters for residents affected by the fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex.
The government says accommodation is now available at the Kwong Fuk Community Hall and the Tung Cheong Street Leisure Building.
A help desk has also been set up at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital to assist displaced residents and handle public enquiries, alongside a dedicated hotline: 2658 4040.
Officials say the Tai Po District Office is “closely monitoring” the situation and will open additional shelters if required.
