Skip next section WATCH — Hong Kong firefighters battle deadly housing complex blaze
11/27/2025November 27, 2025WATCH — Hong Kong firefighters battle deadly housing complex blaze
A massive fire has engulfed a housing complex in Hong Kong.
There are 2,000 residential units in the complex, which is in the city’s Tai Po district.
Ronson Chan Ron-sing has more.
Hong Kong firefighters battle deadly housing complex blaze
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https://p.dw.com/p/54KXI
Skip next section 3 arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
11/27/2025November 27, 20253 arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
The suspects worked for the company carrying out construction work at the apartment complexImage: Tyrone Siu/REUTERS
Hong Kong police have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire.
The men worked for the construction company carrying out maintenance work on the housing estate.
“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, ” Eileen Chung, a Hong Kong police superintendent, said.
Earlier, authorities had said that the probe into the fire would look into whether material on the exterior walls of the housing estate met fire resistance standards, pointing to the unusually rapid spread of the fire.
Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said officers had found highly flammable foam sheets.
The fires started on the external scaffolding of one of the buildings, according to authorities, later spreading first inside the building and then to the other buildings. The windy conditions likely helped the fire to spread.
https://p.dw.com/p/54KXG
Skip next section Death toll rises to 44
11/26/2025November 26, 2025Death toll rises to 44
The death toll from the huge fire which engulfed a Hong Kong housing estate rose to 44, the fire department said on Thursday morning.
A department spokesman told a news conference that hundreds were still missing.
Hong Kong authorities said the fire was finally under control.
Fire in Hong Kong housing complex scaffolded for renovation
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Skip next section What do we know about the devastating blaze?
11/26/2025November 26, 2025What do we know about the devastating blaze?
Since Wednesday afternoon, teams of firefighters have been attempting to douse the flames at Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex made up of eight blocks in the city’s Tai Po district in the north east.
The fire was still burning in the early hours of Thursday, although authorities say it has been brought under control.
The fire department said it received reports on Wednesday at 2:51 p.m. (6:51 am GMT) of a fire in the residential complex. It was upgraded to a Number 4 alarm at 3:34 p.m. and as night fell it was declared a five-alarm fire, the highest level.
Firefighters deployed 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances to the scene.
A number of towers currently burning have bamboo scaffolding and construction netting fitted to their exteriorImage: Yan Zhao/AFP/Getty Images
Earlier, local media had reported that an unknown number of people were trapped in the 31-storey towers — housing around 2,000 residential apartments.
Taipo District Council member, Lo Hiu-fung, told local broadcaster TVB that most of the residents trapped in the fire were believed to be elderly people.
A number of towers currently burning have bamboo scaffolding and construction netting fitted to their exterior.
TVB reported that the complex was undergoing major renovations.
Read our full report on the blaze when it started on Wednesday here.
https://p.dw.com/p/54KWz
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage of the Hong Kong fire11/26/2025November 26, 2025Welcome to our coverage of the Hong Kong fire
You join us just as authorities in Hong Kong say the fire, burning for nearly a day, is under control, though it still continues to burn.
At least 44 people have been killed in the devastating blaze, while authorities have made three arrests. Some 279 people are thought to be missing.
Search and rescue efforts remain ongoing, with reports suggesting most of those still trapped in the high-rise blocks are elderly citizens.
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest developments and reactions.
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