Hong Kong, November 27, 2025 – A catastrophic fire that tore through a public housing estate in Tai Po has claimed at least 128 lives and left hundreds unaccounted for, in one of the deadliest blazes to strike the city in decades. Three individuals have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as authorities launched a criminal investigation into the disaster.

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The ferocious fire erupted at 2:51 p.m. Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, rapidly engulfing bamboo scaffolding wrapped around seven of the estate’s eight residential blocks. Intense flames and thick black smoke poured into the sky as the blaze spread with alarming speed, trapping residents inside their homes. Firefighters received desperate calls reporting people unconscious from burns, including a man and a woman found in the block where the fire originated.
What began as a No. 1 alarm fire was escalated to No. 4 within an hour and reached the highest No. 5 classification by 6:22 p.m., reflecting the unprecedented scale of the emergency. Of the scores of injured rushed to hospitals, 45 remain in serious condition, according to the Fire Services Department.

Hong Kong tower blocks fire death toll rises to 128 https://t.co/UyZg0GqHx7

— Policy Wire (@policy_wire) November 28, 2025

Dramatic footage captured burning sections of traditional bamboo scaffolding and green safety netting collapsing to the ground in fiery chunks, highlighting how the commonly used construction material fueled the inferno’s rapid advance across multiple towers.

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Three construction officials face manslaughter charges after flammable foam boards turned 32-story towers into death traps.

The Wednesday blaze left 44 dead and 270+ missing in the Tai Po district's… https://t.co/FqKkx7AThL pic.twitter.com/tbFnZ89odm

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 27, 2025

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu addressed the city in an emotional press conference at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin early Thursday morning, after spending the previous evening at a community hall supporting affected families. Late Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement of condolence carried by state broadcaster CCTV, urging “all-out efforts” to rescue survivors and minimize further loss of life.

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Investigators are examining a wide range of possible ignition sources while vowing a thorough probe, with police confirming the three arrests made in connection with alleged manslaughter. As search-and-rescue operations continue amid the charred remains of Wang Fuk Court, a grieving Hong Kong confronts the full human toll of the tragedy.

-Thailand News (TN)