Death toll from Hong Kong tower blaze rises to 128, fire operations concluded, 200 still missing

HONG KONG, Nov 28 — The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in nearly 80 years has risen to 128, with about 200 people still unaccounted for at the Wang Fuk Court high-rise complex in Tai Po, the city’s security chief said on Friday. 

Firefighting operations have now ended, a government spokesperson added.

The fire, which broke out on Wednesday afternoon, engulfed the estate’s eight 32-storey towers, many wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh for renovation, Reuters reported. 

Hong Kong Security Chief Chris Tang said fire alarms in the complex had not been working properly. 

Rescue operations concluded after at least 79 people, including 12 firefighters, were injured.

Police have arrested three construction company officials on suspicion of manslaughter, citing unsafe materials, including flammable foam boards that blocked windows. 

Two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, responsible for maintenance at Wang Fuk Court, were among those detained.

Families face the grim task of identifying victims from photographs taken by rescue workers. 

Mirra Wong, whose parents lived in the complex, said she was still searching for news of her father. 

Dozens of domestic workers from the Philippines were caught up in the disaster, with 19 still missing. 

Indonesia’s consulate confirmed that two of the dead were nationals working as domestic helpers.

The fire is the deadliest in Hong Kong since a 1948 warehouse blaze that killed 176 and has drawn comparisons to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. 

Fire-safety experts noted that flames spread rapidly via the scaffolding, entering apartments in a similar pattern to Grenfell.

Authorities have seized documents, computers and mobile phones from Prestige Construction as part of the investigation. 

Hong Kong’s development bureau said it is considering replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal scaffolding for safety.

The government has pledged a HK$300 million (RM159 million) fund to support residents, while major companies have announced donations. Evacuees have also been staying outside malls, wrapped in duvets and huddled in tents, with volunteers handing out supplies.

The blaze has stirred concern over fire safety in the city’s densely packed high-rises and could heighten public frustration with authorities despite efforts to reinforce political and security control.