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Chinese city’s deadliest fire in nearly 80 years raises questions over use of bamboo scaffolding
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar,Alex CroftFriday 28 November 2025 09:00 GMTComments
CloseOfficials announce Hong Kong apartment fire death toll has risen to at least 128
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At least 128 people have now been confirmed dead and dozens more are injured in the massive fire that tore through a Hong Kong apartment complex on Wednesday, with hundreds still listed as missing.
Seven of the eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district caught fire in the Chinese city’s deadliest blaze in almost 80 years, forcing nearly 900 of the 4,800 residents to stay in temporary shelters overnight.
Hong Kong’s security chief Chris Tang told a press conference on Friday afternoon that the operation to search for survivors had ended and the toll now stood at 128.
A unit of the complex burst into flames again at around 5am local time with fire tongues visible through windows, accompanied by heavy smoke, The Standard reported, though that has now also been brought under control.
Mr Tang said the injured included 12 firefighters, and that more than 1,000 police officers had been pressed into action as part of the emergency response.
Firefighters had mostly contained the fire by Thursday afternoon, allowing rescue workers to begin scouring the complex’s smouldering remains for survivors.
open image in galleryHong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang, third from left at rear, speaks to the members of media after the deadly fires at Wang Fuk Court (AP)“Hope they can find more survivors. I think they have tried their best. The firefighters have done a lot,” resident Jacky Kwok said. “It’s a terrible disaster that no one wanted to happen."
Rescuers battled intense heat, thick smoke and collapsing scaffolding and debris as they fought to reach residents feared trapped on the upper floors of the complex.
The blaze was expected to be fully extinguished by Friday evening, fire services deputy director Derek Armstrong Chan said, adding that firefighters had located multiple survivors in the destroyed buildings.
open image in galleryAround 900 residents were forced to stay in temporary shelters after a Hong Kong residential complex caught fire (AFP via Getty)Most of the victims were found in two towers of the complex, the deputy director said.
As many as 279 people were listed as missing on Thursday and that figure was yet to be updated.
Mr Chan said 25 calls for help to the fire services remained unresolved, including three in recent hours, which would be prioritised.
A distraught woman carrying her daughter's graduation photograph searched for her child outside a shelter, one of eight that authorities said were housing the nearly 900 displaced residents.
“She and her father are still not out,” said the woman, who gave only her surname, Ng, as she sobbed. "They didn’t have water to save our building."
open image in galleryAt least 94 people are confirmed dead in the Hong Kong fire (AP)The fire has put a spotlight on the use of bamboo scaffolding in the city, a decades-long practice, after bamboo lattices came crashing down in flames.
Police said that “the building’s exterior walls had protective nets, membranes, waterproof tarpaulins, and plastic sheets suspected of not meeting fire safety standards”.
The blaze started on the external scaffolding of a 31-storey tower, engulfed its bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, moved inside the building, and eventually leapt to nearby highrises, likely aided by windy conditions.
In the wake of the fire, police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, which was contracted to perform maintenance on the building, on suspicion of manslaughter.
Authorities accused the “grossly negligent” firm of using unsafe building material.
Police superintendent Eileen Chung said authorities had “reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent” in their use of materials that allowed the fire to spread uncontrollably.
Authorities also raided the company’s office and seized bidding documents, a list of its employees, 14 computers and three mobile phones.
open image in galleryFirefighters on the scene (AFP via Getty)Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said that his development bureau had met with construction industry representatives to discuss replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal alternatives.
Meanwhile, the displaced residents hunkered down in temporary shelters, including in a nearby school where they were provided bottled water, food and other necessities overnight, with volunteers bringing further supplies.
The Hong Kong government said it would provide 1,000 units of youth hostels or hotel rooms for residents to stay in for up to two weeks.
open image in galleryResidents rest at a temporary shelter near the fire scene at Wang Fuk Court (AP)Among the dead was hero firefighter Ho Wai Ho, 37, who died while rescuing residents from one of the buildings.
He was found collapsed at the scene of the fire and immediately taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital, the fire department said. Despite efforts, he succumbed to his injuries at 4.41pm local time, according to the city administration.
Ho served with the department for nine years. Authorities and his friends paid tribute to his “gallantry and selfless devotion to duty”.
open image in galleryFirefighter Ho Wai Ho died while rescuing residents of a Hong Kong residential complex (Shanghai Daily/X)Fire services director Andy Yeung called Ho’s performance “valiant”. “I am profoundly grieved at the loss of this dedicated and gallant fireman,” he said.
“All of our colleagues are deeply saddened by the loss of such a devoted comrade. On behalf of all our colleagues, I have offered the deepest condolences to his family.”
An identification centre was set up at Kwong Fuk Estate Community Hall to allow family members to identify their missing relatives.
The city administration would hold a memorial service for the dead and cancel all government-organised celebration events, Mr Lee said.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping extended sympathies to relatives of the victims, CCTV said.
Russian president Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Mr Xi over the fire, state news agency TASS reported on Thursday.
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