Hong Kong Tower Fire: Death Toll Rises to 146 as Police Search Burned-Out Apartments

Police Search Burned-Out Hong Kong Apartments as Death Toll Reaches 146

Hong Kong authorities on Monday began searching the remaining apartment towers devastated by a massive fire at a housing estate. The blaze has claimed at least 146 lives and left hundreds homeless, many of whom are now living in temporary shelters.

Police have completed searches in four of the seven towers affected in what has become the city’s deadliest fire in more than 75 years. Bodies were found on stairwells and rooftops—residents who were trapped as they tried to escape the fast-spreading flames.

Thousands gathered to pay tribute to the victims, including at least nine Indonesian domestic helpers and one from the Philippines. On Sunday, mourners lined up for more than a kilometre along a canal beside the Wang Fuk Court estate. Memorial vigils are also planned this week in Tokyo and London. Authorities say around 40 people remain missing.

The fire, which started last Wednesday and quickly spread along scaffolding outside a building undergoing renovation, is still under investigation.

Amid public anger over the lack of fire warnings and evidence of unsafe construction practices, Beijing has cautioned that it will crack down on any “anti-China” protests that emerge in the aftermath. According to sources, at least one person involved in a petition calling for an independent inquiry—along with other demands—was detained.

Police declined to comment on specific detentions, saying only that they will act in accordance with the law.

Search Operations Continue in the Most Damaged Towers

Senior police officer Amy Lam told reporters on Sunday that the remaining buildings are “challenging” to inspect and that the final phase of the search could take weeks.

Images released by police showed officers in hazmat suits, face masks, and helmets, examining rooms with charred walls, collapsed debris, and waterlogged floors from days of firefighting.

A large police presence returned to the site early Monday to continue the search. According to census data, more than 4,000 people lived in the apartment complex, and survivors now face the daunting task of reconstructing their lives.

Authorities said over 1,100 people have been moved from evacuation centres into temporary accommodation, with another 680 placed in youth hostels and hotels.

Many residents fled without essential belongings. The government has provided HK$10,000 (about US$1,284) in emergency relief to each household and fast-tracked replacement of lost identity cards, passports, and marriage certificates.

Eleven Arrested as Fire Investigation Widens

The fire is Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948, when 176 people were killed in a warehouse blaze. The tragedy comes just days before the city’s Legislative Council elections.

Eleven people have been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovation work. At the time of the fire, the building was wrapped in green mesh and bamboo scaffolding, covered by foam insulation—materials now under scrutiny. Authorities also confirmed that fire alarms in the complex were not functioning properly.

Hong Kong’s Labour Department said residents had raised concerns last year about fire hazards related to the renovation, including the flammable mesh used by contractors.

Sources say police detained 24-year-old Miles Kwan on Saturday. Kwan is associated with a group that launched a petition demanding an independent investigation into potential corruption and oversight failures. Reuters was unable to verify whether he was formally arrested. The South China Morning Post reported that two others have been arrested on suspicion of sedition—police declined to comment.

Beijing’s National Security Office issued a stern warning, urging people not to exploit the disaster to “push Hong Kong back into the chaos of 2019,” when pro-democracy protests created a political crisis.

“We warn anti-China disruptors not to use the disaster to sow instability,” the office said. “No matter what methods you use, you will be held fully accountable and face severe punishment.”