Our just-launched rundown<\/a> on what we know so far about the fire also details how it has not yet been fully extinguished but the flames in the four buildings are under control.<\/p>\n The Wang Fuk Court complex is made up of eight 32-storey towers, containing about 2,000 flats, and were being renovated at the time.<\/p>\n Three men aged between 52 and 68 were, as reported, arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of manslaughter.<\/p>\n Firefighters and rescue crews started searching the lower levels of some of the buildings on Thursday. Twenty-six rescue teams are on site.<\/p>\n More than 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters as the rescue work continues.<\/p>\n See the full rundown here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.12 EST<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Visual guide to the HK blaze<\/p>\n We\u2019ve just launched a visual guide \u2013 including graphics, maps, pictures and video footage \u2013 to show how the Hong Kong<\/a> fire disaster unfolded.<\/p>\n As it describes, firefighters working through Wednesday night struggled to reach the top floors of the 31-storey towers where many people were thought to be trapped.<\/p>\n Falling debris and the extreme heat of the blaze made it difficult for rescuers to access the building and officials said that since the complex was undergoing maintenance, many residents kept their windows shut and did not hear the fire alarm.<\/p>\n The fire was able to spread quickly across bamboo scaffolding<\/a> and construction netting that had been set up around the buildings.<\/p>\n By this morning the blaze had noticeably lowered in intensity but a number of apartments were still burning.<\/p>\n You can see the full visual explainer here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.29 EST<\/p>\n HK police allege possible negligence over fire<\/p>\n Police have said the huge fire at the Hong Kong<\/a> apartment complex may have been spread by unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during maintenance work.<\/p>\n They said on Thursday that in addition to the buildings being covered with protective mesh sheets and plastic that might not meet fire standards, they discovered some windows on one unaffected building were sealed with a foam material, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n The highly flammable material had been installed by a construction company carrying out maintenance work, they said.<\/p>\n Eileen Chung, a Hong Kong police superintendent, said:<\/p>\n We have reason to believe that the company\u2019s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties.<\/p>\n Three men from the construction company \u2013 two directors and one engineering consultant \u2013 had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the fire, Chung said.<\/p>\n By Thursday morning, authorities said they had brought the fire in four blocks under control while operations were continuing in three blocks.<\/p>\n The green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding used on the buildings are a mainstay of traditional Chinese architecture but have been subject to a phase-out in Hong Kong since March for safety reasons.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.04 EST<\/p>\n We\u2019ve just launched a video report that includes how a police taskforce has been set up to investigate the cause of the fire at the Hong Kong<\/a> apartment complex.<\/p>\n Authorities say three men aged 52 to 68 have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter connected to the blaze.<\/p>\n The report also has residents describing the fire, including one man who said his wife was missing. He said she tried to escape.<\/p>\n But once she left the flat the corridor and stairs were all filled with smoke and it was all dark so she had no choice but to go back to the flat.<\/p>\n See the video here:<\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.21 EST<\/p>\n Here are some fresh shots that have arrived from the fire scene in Hong Kong<\/a>.<\/p>\n Police stand guard near the site at Wang Fuk Court housing estate on Thursday after the blaze that killed at least 44 people. Photograph: Vernon Yuen\/Nexpher\/ZUMA Press Wire\/ShutterstockFirefighters continue work to extinguish the fire on Thursday. Photograph: Chan Long Hei\/APSmoke and flames rise at apartments blocks earlier on Thursday. Photograph: Vernon Yuen\/Nexpher\/ZUMA Press Wire\/ShutterstockThe damaged towers of housing complex in Tai Po in Hong Kong\u2019s northern New Territories. Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersFirefighters continue extinguishing the blaze. Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Circling back to the start of the fire, officials said it began on the external scaffolding of one of the buildings mid-afternoon on Wednesday and later spread inside it and then to nearby buildings, probably assisted by windy conditions.<\/p>\n Fire chiefs said the high temperatures at the scene made it difficult for crews to mount rescue operations. A column of flames and thick smoke rose as the blaze spread quickly on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had been set up around the exterior of the buildings.<\/p>\n Firefighters aimed water at the intense flames from high up on ladder trucks.<\/p>\n The blaze was upgraded to a level 5 alarm \u2013 the highest level of severity \u2013 as night fell. Firefighters deployed more than 200 fire vehicles and about 100 ambulances, the Associated Press also reported<\/p>\n \u201cDebris and scaffolding of the affected buildings [is] falling down,\u201d said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Fire Service operations.<\/p>\n The temperature inside the buildings concerned is very high. It\u2019s difficult for us to enter the building and go upstairs to conduct firefighting and rescue operations.<\/p>\n By early Thursday the blaze had been brought under control but firefighters are continuing to extinguish it entirely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.28 EST<\/p>\n Noting now that while Hong Kong<\/a> leader John Lee said early on Thursday that 279 people were unaccounted for, firefighters said later that they had established contact with some of them.<\/p>\n Lee said more than 900 people had sought refuge at temporary shelters.<\/p>\n A police officer at one of the shelters told AFP it was unclear how many people were unaccounted for because residents were still trickling in late into the night to report missing family members.<\/p>\n Among the 44 confirmed dead was a 37-year-old firefighter who was found with burns on his face half an hour after losing contact with colleagues, said fire service director Andy Yeung.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Residents describe ‘terrifying’ blaze spreading between buildings<\/p>\n More word here from residents of the Hong Kong<\/a> neighbourhood where the fire broke out.<\/p>\n \u201cI truly think it\u2019s very scary. I am watching it spread from just one building to three, then four,\u201d Veezy Chan, 25, said on Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s really terrifying.\u201d<\/p>\n Shirley Chan called the tragedy terribly sad. \u201cImagine a home \u2013 gone, burnt. Anyone would be heartbroken. I can relate to that; it\u2019s truly heartbreaking.<\/p>\n A home, gone in flames. I can\u2019t even put it into words.<\/p>\n Agence France-Presse also quoted a 65-year-old surnamed Yuen as saying his neighbourhood was home to many elderly residents who used wheelchairs and walkers, and the fire left him and his wife homeless.<\/p>\n He said that since the apartment complex was undergoing maintenance, many residents kept their windows shut, so they did not hear the fire alarm.<\/p>\n Residents also said they had never anticipated the flames would spread to other buildings with the wind and burn all night long.<\/p>\n Chan said she \u201cwatched the fire burn and couldn\u2019t do anything\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.30 EST<\/p>\n Here are two of the latest images coming in as Hong Kong<\/a> firefighters continue work to fully extinguish the devastating blaze.<\/p>\n Photograph: Vernon Yuen\/Nexpher\/ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.51 EST<\/p>\n It\u2019s approaching 8.45am in Hong Kong<\/a> and firefighters are still dousing the blaze that has torn through the high-rise complex.<\/p>\n After daybreak on Thursday some flats were still burning but the fire had noticeably dimmed during the early hours of the morning, Agence France-Presse is reporting.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.06 EST<\/p>\n Hong Kong blaze: what we know so far<\/p>\n Almost 280 people are still missing amid the Hong Kong<\/a> blaze that has killed at least 44 people and left dozens more in critical condition.<\/p>\n Our just-launched rundown<\/a> on what we know so far about the fire also details how it has not yet been fully extinguished but the flames in the four buildings are under control.<\/p>\n The Wang Fuk Court complex is made up of eight 32-storey towers, containing about 2,000 flats, and were being renovated at the time.<\/p>\n Three men aged between 52 and 68 were, as reported, arrested on Thursday morning on suspicion of manslaughter.<\/p>\n Firefighters and rescue crews started searching the lower levels of some of the buildings on Thursday. Twenty-six rescue teams are on site.<\/p>\n More than 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters as the rescue work continues.<\/p>\n See the full rundown here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.12 EST<\/p>\n The cause of the Hong Kong<\/a> blaze is not yet known but the fire has been fanned by green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding \u2013 a mainstay of traditional Chinese architecture but subject to a phase-out in Hong Kong since March for safety reasons.<\/p>\n Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction.<\/p>\n On mainland China, where use of bamboo in construction originated from ancient times, scaffolding is now mainly metal, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n Hong Kong\u2019s government moved to start phasing out bamboo scaffolding in March, citing worker safety after 22 deaths involving bamboo scaffolders between 2019 and 2024.<\/p>\n It announced that 50% of public construction works would be required to use metal frames instead.<\/p>\n Fire and smoke engulfing bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at the Hong Kong housing estate on Wednesday. Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.06 EST<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s heartbreaking\u2019<\/p>\n Word from residents of the housing complex has been coming through, including a 71-year-old resident surnamed Wong who said through tears that his wife was trapped inside.<\/p>\n Harry Cheung, who has lived at block 2 in one of the complexes for more than 40 years, said he heard a loud noise about 2.45pm and saw fire erupt in a nearby block.<\/p>\n \u201cI immediately went back to pack up my things,\u201d the 66-year-old told Reuters.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t even know how I feel right now. I\u2019m just thinking about where I\u2019m going to sleep tonight because I probably won\u2019t be able to go back home.<\/p>\n Dozens of stunned residents, many sobbing, have been watching the blaze as smoke billowed from the housing complex.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing that can be done about the property. We can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely,\u201d a Tai Po resident who gave their surname as So told Agence France-Presse near the scene.<\/p>\n It\u2019s heartbreaking. We\u2019re worried there are people trapped inside.<\/p>\n Residents wrapped in blankets watch the blaze at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate. Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.25 EST<\/p>\n China\u2019s leader Xi Jinping has urged an \u201call-out effort\u201d to extinguish the Hong Kong<\/a> fire and to minimise casualties and losses, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has reported.<\/p>\n He also extended condolences to victims\u2019 families and others affected.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.06 EST<\/p>\n Section of the Tai Po Road closed<\/p>\n An entire section of the Tai Po Road \u2013 one of Hong Kong\u2019s two main highways \u2013 has been closed due to the fire, and buses are being diverted.<\/p>\n At least six schools will be closed on Thursday because of the fire and traffic congestion, Reuters quoted the city\u2019s education bureau as saying.<\/p>\n Wang Fuk Court is one of many high-rise housing complexes in Hong Kong, one of the world\u2019s most densely populated areas. Tai Po, located near the border with mainland China, is an established suburban district with about 300,000 residents.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.41 EST<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the latest on the fire<\/p>\n Forty-four people are confirmed dead after Hong Kong\u2019s worst fire in decades, with dozens more currently in hospital. At least 279 people are still missing as firefighters and rescue crews begin searching some of the buildings.<\/p>\n The fires have not been fully extinguished, although the flames in four buildings are under control.<\/p>\n Three people were arrested early this morning local time on suspicion of manslaughter. Police did not provide any details about what the trio were accused of doing, although a police spokesperson told the New York Times they are two directors of a construction company and one consultant.<\/p>\n Officials said they will look at materials used in the buildings exterior they say may have contributed to the blaze, as well as the bamboo scaffolding surrounding the towers, which were undergoing renovations.<\/p>\n More than 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters as the rescue work continues.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.09 EST<\/p>\n Evacuees from the Wang Fuk Court residential estate rest in nearby shelters.<\/p>\n Evacuees wrapped in blankets rest on a platform after a major fire at Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong. Photograph: Tyrone Siu\/ReutersResidents report their family members\u2019 situations to the police and officials at a temporary shelter. Photograph: Tommy Wang\/AFP\/Getty ImagesSupplies outside a restaurant acting as a temporary shelter. Photograph: Kobe Li\/Nexpher\/ZUMA Press Wire\/ShutterstockEssential supplies are piled outside a temporary shelter near the Wang Fuk Court residential estate. Photograph: Tommy Wang\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.43 EST<\/p>\n Fire under control at four buildings in Wang Fuk Court complex<\/p>\n The flames at four of the residential buildings in the Wang Fuk Court complex are now under control. The South China Morning Post reports search efforts have started in those buildings on lower levels, with rescue teams slowly moving up through the 13th to 23rd floors of some of those towers.<\/p>\n They are expected to reach the top floors in the coming hours, with 26 rescue teams on site.<\/p>\n The South China Morning Post also reports that police said they have not ruled out foam materials used to seal windows on the buildings and for other purposes contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.<\/p>\n![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764214690_335_4500.jpg\")
Three arrested as Hong Kong tower fire leaves dozens dead – videoShare<\/a><\/p>\n