Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 128

A devastating fire swept through Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court complex, leaving a death toll that now stands at 128. The blaze began on Wednesday and engulfed seven of the eight buildings in the high‑rise residential estate, prompting a massive response from the Hong Kong Fire Services. Firefighters conducted an intensive, apartment‑by‑apartment search, focusing on units that had sent multiple calls for assistance during the fire but could not be reached. According to Deputy Director Derek Armstrong Chan, crews prioritized these high‑risk areas, and the discovery of additional bodies in the blackened towers raised the death count by 34.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang confirmed that the search for victims is ongoing and that the numbers could still rise. Many of the bodies were severely burned, making identification difficult. The investigation is expected to last at least three to four weeks, and preliminary findings suggest that some fire alarms in the complex were not functioning properly. Andy Yeung, Director of Hong Kong Fire Services, warned that this failure could have legal consequences.

The fire originated in one tower and quickly spread to adjacent buildings, fueled by bamboo scaffolding covered in netting that was in place for renovations. It took firefighters roughly 24 hours to bring the blaze under control, and smoke continued to billow from the charred structures for nearly two days. The fire was not declared fully extinguished until Friday morning. In total, 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel took part in the operation, and 12 firefighters were among the 79 people injured.

Wang Fuk Court, located in the Tai Po district—a northern suburb near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China—contains almost 2,000 apartments and houses approximately 4,800 residents. The cause of the fire and the exact number of people still unaccounted for remain unclear. The tragedy underscores the importance of fire safety and functional alarm systems in residential buildings. As the investigation proceeds, authorities will seek to determine the fire’s cause and implement measures to prevent similar disasters in the future.