The death toll from the massive fire that tore through several high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong has climbed to at least 55, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
At least 123 people have been hospitalised, including eight firefighters, with many more believed to be trapped inside the burning towers of Wang Fuk Court, a public housing estate in the Tai Po district that was home to more than 4,600 residents, with 36% of them being elderly.
Hundreds of residents remain unaccounted for and frantic rescue efforts continue nearly 24 hours after the blaze erupted.
The inferno, described by city officials as “unusual” in its speed and scale, swept rapidly across seven residential blocks, with firefighters still struggling to extinguish flames amid collapsing scaffolding, intense heat, and falling debris.
CNN reports that one elderly man was pulled alive on Thursday morning from the 31st floor of a tower still burning.
Hong Kong Police have arrested three men, two company directors and a consultant, on suspicion of manslaughter, accusing them of gross negligence connected to the ongoing renovation of the housing estate.
The buildings were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, protective netting, and polystyrene-board window covers, materials that are now under scrutiny.
“These polystyrene boards are extremely flammable and the fire spread very rapidly,” Fire Services Director Andy Yeung said at a briefing, noting that the renovation materials may have prevented residents from escaping and firefighters from accessing units.
Authorities are investigating whether safety standards were violated and why evacuation procedures failed to prevent mass casualties.
The fire has left hundreds homeless, with more than 900 people housed temporarily in emergency shelters. Many survivors say they have lost everything.
“All I’ve done is watch my home burn to ashes,” Mrs. Dang, 68, who lived in the estate for more than two decades, told CNN.
Another resident, Mr. Yuen, said he has been unable to reach his elderly parents who lived on the 11th floor of one affected block. “What I’m most concerned about is my parents,” he said from a shelter in Tai Po.
Condolences have poured in from around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and Taiwan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered “all-out efforts” to minimize casualties and announced 2 million yuan in emergency relief through the Red Cross.
Officials say the blaze is likely Hong Kong’s deadliest since World War II. The city, known for strict building safety standards, recorded 33 fire-related deaths in 2024, far below the current toll.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has ordered inspections of all residential estates undergoing renovation across the city.
