Hong Kong Fire Death Toll Rises to 128, With More Victims Feared Missing

Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people killed in a devastating fire at a high-rise apartment complex, with the death toll expected to increase as around 150 people remain unaccounted for even days after the incident.

Authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with what is now considered the city’s worst fire in nearly 80 years. Investigators are examining possible corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovation work at the Wang Fuk Court complex.

The rescue operation at the site—located in Tai Po district near the mainland Chinese border—concluded on Friday. However, police warned that additional remains may be found in the coming weeks as teams search the charred and unstable structures.

Police said Saturday that the number of missing people had been revised down from 200 to 150 after several families reported they had reunited with loved ones initially believed missing. Hundreds of officers deployed for the search did not find more bodies but rescued three cats and a turtle.

The blaze erupted on Wednesday afternoon and rapidly spread through seven of the estate’s eight 32-storey towers, all of which were covered in bamboo scaffolding and green safety netting for renovation. Foam insulation layers, now under scrutiny, helped accelerate the spread of the fire.

Mainland China has ordered sweeping inspections of fire safety risks nationwide, particularly in high-rise residential buildings undergoing renovation.

Ongoing Search and Public Mourning

Officials confirmed that fire alarms at Wang Fuk Court—home to over 4,600 residents—were not functioning properly.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, along with senior officials and civil servants, observed a three-minute silence outside the Central Government Offices on Saturday, all wearing black. Flags across the city flew at half-mast, and condolence books were placed at 18 locations for the public to pay their respects.

Britain’s King Charles expressed his sympathies, calling it a “dreadful tragedy” and extending condolences to families grieving in “shock and uncertainty.”

At Wang Fuk Court, police officers in white protective suits, helmets, and oxygen masks were seen climbing over piles of collapsed bamboo scaffolding and walking around deep pits left behind by days of firefighting efforts.

Hong Kong’s Home Secretary Alice Mak said the search operation could take three to four weeks to complete.

Nearby, grieving families and residents laid hundreds of bouquets, while some faced the painful task of viewing images taken by rescuers to identify victims.

Among those searching was 67-year-old Christie Tang, looking for a retired friend who loved singing and sports. “We went through photos of the bodies trying to find her, but we couldn’t,” she said.

Many foreign domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines—who often live in cramped quarters within employers’ homes—were caught in the fire. Indonesia confirmed six deaths. The Philippines reported one worker seriously injured, another missing, and 28 others residing in the area whose whereabouts remain unknown.

One injured Filipina worker, 28-year-old Rodora Alcaraz, had wrapped her employer’s three-month-old baby in a wet blanket as she remained trapped in a smoke-filled room for hours before being rescued, her sister, Reshel Loreto, told Reuters. In a panicked voice message sent as conditions worsened, she said, “I feel so weak. I can’t breathe.”

Deadliest Fire Since 1948

This is the city’s deadliest fire since 1948, when a warehouse blaze killed 176 people. The incident has drawn comparisons to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which left 72 dead.

Hong Kong’s Labour Department told Reuters that residents had repeatedly raised concerns about fire risks associated with the renovation work but were informed last year that the estate had a “very low risk of fire.”

In September 2024, tenants also voiced concerns about the flammability of the green safety netting covering the bamboo scaffolding.

Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency confirmed eight arrests on Friday, including an engineering consultant, a scaffolding subcontractor, and a middleman. Police earlier arrested two directors of Prestige Construction and an engineering consultant linked to the company, which has been handling maintenance work at the estate for over a year. They are suspected of manslaughter for using unsafe materials, including flammable foam boards that blocked windows. Prestige Construction has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

Calls for Accountability and Independent Probe

Public anger has so far remained muted—unlike the massive pro-democracy protests of 2019, which prompted Beijing to tighten control over the city. Still, some frustrated volunteers were seen distributing flyers near the estate on Friday, calling for government accountability, an independent corruption probe, proper rehousing for affected residents, and stricter oversight of construction and renovation practices.

An online petition demanding these actions had gathered nearly 10,000 signatures by Saturday afternoon.

As in other major disasters such as the Grenfell fire, pressure for answers may extend beyond construction firms to government regulators.

Miles, a volunteer from the Tai Po Fire Concern Group who withheld his surname due to the sensitivity of the issue, said their demands were “very basic.”

“The government shouldn’t oppose them,” he said. “If it does, that would be extremely insensitive and irresponsible.”

A spokesperson for China’s National Security Office in Hong Kong said Saturday that they fully support efforts by the city’s administration to punish anyone who attempts to “use the disaster to disrupt Hong Kong.”