94 dead, hundreds remain missing in massive Hong Kong fire

International

MORE than 24 hours after a massive blazee tore through a high-rise residential complex in the northern suburb of Tai Po, firefighters and rescue crews continued to comb the charred husks of the towers for survivors as dozens remained unaccounted for.

The fire, which began on the afternoon of Nov. 26 at Wang Fuk Court, quickly escalated into one of Hong Kong's deadliest residential disasters in decades.

A report by BBC stated that inferno started when the flames reached the bambook scaffolding and green protective mesh surrounding the buildings — part of ongoing renovation work — before spreading rapidly to neighboring towers.

By evening the fire was raised to the city’s highest alert level, “level five,” prompting a massive emergency response.

Authorities now say the blaze left at least 94 people dead and 76 injured. Among the deceased was a firefighter identified as 37-year-old veteran Ho Wai-ho, who collapsed during rescue efforts.

As of the latest update, roughly 279 residents remain missing. Authorities stressed this figure may shift as rescue crews complete forced entry into all affected units — many of which are still sealed or obscured by debris and warping from fire and heat.

The housing estate at Wang Fuk Court is composed of eight tower blocks with some 2,000 apartments, home to an estimated 4,800 residents before the fire. The buildings had been under renovation for the past year — a factor now under intense scrutiny by investigators.

Local police have already arrested three senior individuals from the responsible construction firm — two directors and an engineering consultant — on suspicion of manslaughter.

Officials say the company may have used substandard scaffolding materials and inadequate fire-safety measures, contributing to the fire’s rapid spread.

Relief centers have been opened for dozens of displaced families, many of whom lost everything in the blaze. The community is now waiting anxiously as rescue teams push to complete their final sweep of the burned-out buildings, hoping to bring closure to families still searching for loved ones.(Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)