What to know about the apartment tower fire in Hong Kong

Hong Kong firefighters mounted a final push Thursday to search for victims and possible survivors in the devastating high-rise fire that has claimed at least 128 lives, making it the deadliest blaze in the city’s recent history.

The fire, which erupted Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court in the suburban Tai Po district, engulfed seven of the eight 32-story towers in the residential complex. Approximately 900 of the building’s 4,800 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters, while dozens more suffered injuries in what officials are describing as an unprecedented tragedy.

“The extreme heat has severely hampered our rescue operations,” said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Hong Kong’s Fire Services. “Our teams are conducting a methodical, apartment-by-apartment search despite the challenging conditions.”

The magnitude of the disaster has surpassed the 1996 commercial building fire in Kowloon that killed 41 people. Only a 1948 warehouse blaze, which claimed 176 lives according to the South China Morning Post, exceeds the current death toll.

Authorities have begun piecing together how the catastrophe unfolded. Initial investigations suggest the fire originated around bamboo scaffolding and construction netting encasing the lower floors of one tower. Secretary for Security Chris Tang revealed on Friday that highly flammable plastic foam panels installed on apartment windows played a critical role in the rapid spread of the flames.

“The blaze ignited these foam panels, causing glass to shatter and leading to swift intensification as fire penetrated interior spaces,” Tang explained. “Burning bamboo poles fell onto lower floors, further spreading the inferno.” Officials noted that high winds significantly accelerated the fire’s movement between towers.

In a swift law enforcement response, police arrested three individuals connected to the renovation project on suspicion of manslaughter. While authorities have not officially named the company involved, the Associated Press confirmed that police searched the offices of Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., which was overseeing the renovations.

Wang Fuk Court represents a common housing type in Hong Kong’s densely populated urban landscape. Built in the 1980s, the complex features privately owned but government-subsidized apartments typically measuring between 40-45 square meters (430-485 square feet). Like many older residential buildings in Hong Kong, the complex reportedly lacked modern fire safety infrastructure such as smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, or mandatory fire refuge floors, which were only required in later building code revisions.

The firefighting effort faced significant technical limitations. Fire service ladders and hoses could reach only about halfway up the 32-story structures—approximately 53 meters or 174 feet, equivalent to just under 20 stories. The extreme heat prevented firefighters from entering the buildings to conduct rescue operations during the height of the blaze. In total, 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel participated in the response, with 12 firefighters among those injured.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced the formation of a government task force to investigate the disaster. “We will conduct a thorough review of all housing estates currently undergoing major repairs to assess the safety of scaffolding and construction materials,” Lee pledged. “The case will be submitted to the Coroner’s Court for a formal inquiry into the causes and circumstances of these tragic deaths.”

For survivors, the road to recovery remains uncertain. Hundreds displaced by the fire have found temporary accommodations in nearby shelters, including a local school. Government workers and volunteers have mobilized to distribute essential supplies including bottled water, food, and other necessities.

The government has announced emergency financial assistance of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately $25,693) for each victim’s family, according to China’s state media Xinhua.

This disaster highlights the unique vulnerabilities of Hong Kong’s densely packed urban environment, where 7.5 million residents live primarily in high-rise buildings constructed on limited flat land or steep mountainsides. The proximity of these structures to one another creates particular challenges for fire containment and evacuation.