Inferno in Hong Kong At least 128 dead - firefighting work continues
Thick clouds of smoke, burning scaffolding and a death trap: a major fire is raging in a high-rise residential complex in Hong Kong. The death toll continues to rise.
28.11.2025, 05:30
28.11.2025, 08:47
dpa
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- Dozens of people have died in a major fire in a high-rise housing estate in Hong Kong, and the death toll has been repeatedly revised upwards.
- Even hours after the fire broke out, hundreds of people were still trapped in the burning buildings
- The rescue services are in constant action.
This article was last updated on Friday, November 28, 2025, at 8:20 a.m.
The death toll from a fire in a residential complex in Hong Kong continues to rise. Authorities in the Chinese city and special administrative region announced on Friday that a total of 128 people had died after more bodies were recovered from the Wang Fuk Court high-rise complex in the northern district of Tai Po. Security Minister Chris Tang told journalists at the scene of the disaster that the search for victims was continuing and the numbers could rise further.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon (local time) in the Wang Fuk Court high-rise complex, which consists of eight blocks, each with more than 30 floors and over 1900 apartments. The flames quickly spread to other towers in the high-rise complex, which were completely covered in bamboo scaffolding and protective nets due to extensive renovation work. In the early hours of Wednesday evening, the fire department finally declared the highest alert level five.
The fire disaster is the most devastating in decades in the Chinese special administrative region.
Bamboo scaffolding
Bamboo scaffolding was erected on the apartment blocks due to ongoing renovation work on the 1980s complex. According to the authorities, materials that may not have complied with fire safety regulations were also used during the work.
Three men from a construction company - two directors and a technical consultant - were arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter. Hong Kong's government announced its intention to switch from bamboo scaffolding to steel scaffolding as soon as possible following criticism of fire safety. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Almost 20 hours after the fire broke out, the emergency services were still battling the flames.
Image: Keystone
Hundreds of people had to seek shelter in emergency shelters.
Image: Keystone
The dramatic footage of the blaze went around the world.
Image: Keystone
The flames had spread rapidly across the bamboo scaffolding.
Image: Keystone
Almost 20 hours after the fire broke out, the emergency services were still battling the flames.
Image: Keystone
Hundreds of people had to seek shelter in emergency shelters.
Image: Keystone
The dramatic footage of the blaze went around the world.
Image: Keystone
The flames had spread rapidly across the bamboo scaffolding.
Image: Keystone
Second highest alert level
Photos and videos from the scene showed large plumes of smoke rising from the scaffolded high-rise residential buildings. Renovation work was being carried out on the buildings. It was also possible to see how the façade scaffolding was in flames over several storeys and burning parts were falling to the ground. In addition, pockets of fire could be seen inside individual apartments.
Difficult rescue and extinguishing work
The major fire is a tragedy, especially for the relatives. Videos show completely desperate people walking through the streets with homemade name tags, hoping that someone knows their names and can give the all-clear because they have seen their relatives. One man reports that he is still in contact with his trapped wife via cell phone. She had tried to escape via the stairwell, but was forced to retreat in a completely smoke-filled, pitch-black corridor.
The conditions inside the towers were extremely difficult, according to the fire department. The firefighters had to work their way up floor by floor, while calls for help continued to come in from apartments they had not yet reached. One firefighter died during the operation.
Construction company employee arrested
According to the report, the covering and insulation materials used during the renovation work may not have complied with the applicable fire protection standards. The fire department had also discovered polystyrene inside the buildings, which could have accelerated the spread of the flames within the blocks and ignited other apartments across the corridors.
