Hong Kong paused in grief on Saturday as the city mourned the 128 confirmed victims of a catastrophic blaze at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex. With 150 residents still missing, officials warned the death toll could rise further in the coming weeks.
Arrests and Investigation
Authorities have detained 11 individuals in connection with the disaster, which is being investigated as Hong Kong’s worst fire in nearly 80 years. Police are probing allegations of corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovations at the Tai Po estate, near the mainland border.
Rescue operations officially ended Friday, though police cautioned that more bodies may be discovered as teams continue to comb through the charred remains of the high-rise blocks. The number of missing was revised down from 200 after relatives confirmed reunions with loved ones initially thought lost.
While no additional victims were found during the latest searches, officers did recover three cats and a turtle from the wreckage.
How the Fire Spread
The blaze erupted Wednesday afternoon and quickly consumed seven of the estate’s eight 32-storey towers. The buildings were covered in bamboo scaffolding, green mesh, and foam insulation as part of ongoing renovations—materials now under scrutiny for their flammability.
In response, Beijing ordered a nationwide review of fire risks at high-rise buildings, particularly those undergoing refurbishment.
Mourning and Memorials
The Wang Fuk Court estate, home to more than 4,600 residents, had malfunctioning fire alarms, officials admitted. On Saturday morning, Chief Executive John Lee and senior civil servants dressed in black observed three minutes of silence outside government headquarters, where flags flew at half-staff.
Condolence books were opened at 18 sites across the city, while mourners laid hundreds of bouquets near the estate. Some families faced the harrowing task of identifying victims from photographs taken by rescue teams.
Britain’s King Charles expressed sympathy, calling the tragedy “appalling” and offering condolences to those living with “shock and uncertainty.”
Stories of Survival and Loss
Among those searching was Christy Tang, 67, who hoped to find her friend, a retiree known for her love of singing and sports. “We checked the photos of dead bodies trying to identify her but to no avail,” she said, placing flowers in remembrance.
The disaster also claimed the lives of migrant domestic workers. Indonesia confirmed six of its citizens were killed, while the Philippines reported one critically injured, another missing, and 28 unaccounted for.
One survivor, 28-year-old Filipina worker Rhodora Alcaraz, shielded her employer’s infant with a wet blanket while trapped in a smoke-filled room for hours before firefighters rescued them. In a desperate audio message to her sister, she sobbed: “I’m feeling very weak. I can’t breathe.”
Historical Scale
The blaze is Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948, when 176 perished in a warehouse fire. Comparisons have been drawn to London’s Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, which killed 72.
Residents had previously raised concerns about fire hazards during renovations, including the flammability of the green mesh covering scaffolding. Officials had dismissed the risks as “relatively low.”
Accountability and Anger
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency announced arrests of eight people, including an engineering consultant and subcontractors. Police earlier detained two directors and another consultant from Prestige Construction, the firm responsible for maintenance at Wang Fuk Court, on suspicion of manslaughter linked to unsafe materials such as flammable foam boards blocking windows. The company has not responded to requests for comment.
Public outrage remains subdued compared to the mass protests of 2019, but calls for accountability are growing. Volunteers distributed flyers demanding an independent inquiry, proper resettlement for displaced residents, and stricter oversight of construction practices. An online petition had gathered 10,000 signatures by Saturday.
Miles, a member of the Tai Po Fire Concern Group, said their demands were “very basic.” He warned that government resistance would be “too sensitive and irresponsible.”
China’s national security office in Hong Kong issued a statement backing severe punishment for anyone accused of exploiting the tragedy to “disrupt Hong Kong.”