Rescue Operation at Hong Kong Fire Ends as Death Toll Climbs to 128 With Hundreds Missing

Hong Kong authorities said on Nov. 28 that the search for survivors after a massive fire tore through a residential complex in the New Territories, killing at least 128 people, has ended. About 200 people remain unaccounted for.

Hong Kong Security Secretary Chris Tang told reporters that the blaze had been extinguished and that the rescue operation is over, adding that firefighters were now focused on lowering temperatures inside the structures.

“Our aim now is to make sure the temperature decreases in the building, and once everything is deemed safe, police will collect evidence and conduct further investigation,” he said.

Officials said at least 79 people were injured, among them 12 firefighters, one in serious condition.

Hong Kong’s Transport Department said that several road sections in the Tai Po district remained closed, including links to a major highway, as emergency teams assessed hazards and cleared debris.

Around 40 bus routes experienced suspensions or diversions.

The fire erupted late on Nov. 26 at one of the Wang Fuk Court complex’s 32-storey towers. It then jumped to adjacent buildings, a rapid escalation authorities said was likely worsened by strong winds. Seven of the complex’s eight towers were engulfed at the peak of the inferno, with flames and smoke pouring through hundreds of windows.

By the early hours of Nov. 28, firefighters had largely contained the blaze.

International Condolences

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Nov. 27 that Washington extended “its deepest condolences to the people of Hong Kong, and especially to the victims and families affected by the devastating Tai Po fire.”

He said the United States mourns the loss of life and honors the “courage of emergency teams working tirelessly to respond to this tragedy.”

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said in a Nov. 27 message that she was “deeply saddened” by the scale of the tragedy.

“I express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and offer my sincere sympathies to their families,” she said.

British Consul General Brian Davidson said in a Nov. 27 post on X that “our hearts go out to all those grieving loved ones lost in the Tai Po fire, and to those still waiting anxiously for news,” adding that the UK stood “in solidarity with Hong Kong during this harrowing time.”

France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs said it was “deeply shocked” by the tragedy and offered condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

Russian and Turkish foreign ministry officials also expressed their condolences for the casualties.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a post on X that Moscow expressed its “deepest condolences for the numerous human casualties” and wished the injured a swift recovery.

Arrests

Police on Nov. 27 arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from a construction company contracted to perform maintenance on the buildings. They were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, according to police.

“We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties,” Police Superintendent Eileen Chung said.

Authorities arrested eight people, seven men and one woman, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said in a Nov. 28 statement.

The eight individuals include two company directors, two project managers, and three scaffolding subcontractors, according to the commission.

Wang Fuk Court, constructed in the 1980s and recently renovated, consists of eight towers with nearly 2,000 units and an estimated population of 4,800. Local officials said many residents are elderly.

Reuters and Jacob Burg contributed to this report. 

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the number of residents in Wang Fuk Court. The Epoch Times regrets the error.