Latest news Investigation after inferno in Hong Kong - death toll rises
Several residential buildings are still burning in Hong Kong - investigators are looking for the cause of the devastating fire that claimed at least 65 lives. According to the authorities, the police arrested three people from a construction company on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter.
27.11.2025, 12:29
27.11.2025, 14:18
SDA
The men, aged between 52 and 68, are to remain in custody for questioning. Wearing large masks as headgear, they led the men away on camera. The company's offices were also searched.
At least 65 people died in the most devastating fire in the Chinese special administrative region for decades, Hong Kong media reported, citing the fire department. The number of injured is now 70, including 10 firefighters. It remains unclear how many people are still missing. Firefighters continued to battle individual pockets of fire in the evening (local time).
Fire department rescues survivors
Helpers reportedly rescued more survivors from the affected buildings more than 20 hours after the fire broke out. In the evening, the emergency services rescued a survivor from the 16th floor of a building. The fire department also removed several cats and dogs that had survived from the buildings, as can be seen in photos.
Thick clouds of smoke billowed over the high-rise blocks of the Wang Fuk Court residential complex throughout the day as firefighters continued their firefighting efforts from aerial ladders, as live broadcasts showed. Classes were canceled at 13 schools due to the traffic disruptions.
Large contingent of emergency services
The dramatic images of the fire at the highest alert level five went around the world. The fire broke out in one building on Wednesday for as yet unexplained reasons, quickly spread to a bamboo structure and spread to the surrounding high-rise buildings of the residential complex from the 1980s. Seven of the eight buildings were affected, all of which are more than 30 storeys high.
There are almost 2,000 apartments in the complex, which is also home to many elderly people. The fire department said it mobilized more than 1,200 firefighters and reported extreme temperatures on the upper floors and difficult firefighting conditions. In the meantime, the helpers continued to bring the fires under control, but still reported flames in three blocks of flats.
Messages of condolences from all over the world
The first messages of condolence reached Hong Kong from abroad. The Consulate General of Great Britain expressed its sympathy to the victims and rescue workers. Hong Kong was a British crown colony until 1997.
The diplomatic missions of Germany, the EU and the USA also expressed their condolences online. China's head of state and party leader Xi Jinping had already expressed his concern about the fire the day before and pledged Beijing's support, as reported by Chinese state television.
Focus on scaffolding
The authorities are particularly examining the safety standards of the traditional bamboo scaffolding and the protective nets attached to it, with which all the buildings were clad for renovation work. Investigators found windows that were covered and partially blocked with polystyrene panels - a highly flammable plastic that is often used as insulation material. Investigators also suspect that protective nets, tarpaulins and plastic sheeting may not have complied with fire safety standards.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee ordered all buildings in the Chinese Special Administrative Region that are currently undergoing major renovations to be inspected. There have always been concerns about the fire safety of the bamboo scaffolding traditionally used in Hong Kong construction.
Mourning and searching for the missing
According to Lee, hundreds of people remained in the nine public emergency shelters after the major fire. Desperate people searched there the day after the fire disaster for relatives with whom they had lost contact. Photos of the dead were also displayed in the Kwong Fuk Community Hall.
According to Lee, the homeless residents will initially be accommodated in hostels or hotels. After that, they could move into 1,800 subsidized temporary apartments, he said during a press conference.
