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Deadliest Hong Kong fire in decades leaves 128 dead, hundreds missing
A massive blaze that tore through seven high-rise public housing towers in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has killed at least 128 people, with nearly 300 residents still unaccounted for, including the wife of a survivor who last told her husband, "Hang in there," before losing contact.
The fire erupted around 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Wednesday, engulfing Wang Fuk Court-a 31-storey subsidized housing complex built in 1983. Firefighters battled the flames for nearly 24 hours before bringing the blaze under control, marking the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in six decades.
No alarms, no escape for trapped residents
Survivors and relatives described a scene of chaos, with no fire alarms sounding to warn residents. Chung, 45, received a frantic call from his wife, who was trapped in their 23rd-floor flat with their cat. Within 10 minutes, smoke filled the apartment so thickly she could no longer see a way out.
"She probably fainted," Chung told BBC Chinese on Thursday, his voice breaking. "I dare not call her again." Hours later, he resigned himself to the worst: "She passed away with our cat, who she loved." His wife was the only family member home that day.
Ms. Fung, 40, remains separated from her mother, who was last known to be sheltering in a bathroom with a neighbor. Contact was lost at midnight. "We will think about our next steps after my mum comes out," Fung said, clinging to hope despite the devastation. Police later asked if her mother might have escaped-a question Fung called "absurd" given the building's condition.
Elderly residents among most vulnerable
Nearly 40% of Wang Fuk Court's residents are aged 65 or older, according to 2021 census data, raising fears that many perished unable to flee. Social media flooded with pleas for missing relatives, including children and pets. One mother's post read, "I still can't find my baby girl," before later admitting, "I am afraid there is no hope."
Grandma Chan, 72, escaped only after her daughter-traveling in South Korea-called to warn her. She had feared the renovations underway since last year, occasionally smelling burning odors. "Will anything happen if I stay home?" she had asked her daughter before the fire.
Grandma Wu, 82, was playing mahjong when neighbors' husbands called to alert them. Initially dismissive-"There were three buildings between us and the fire"-they fled only after a second call confirmed the flames had spread. Wu refused to leave the scene overnight: "I've lived here 42 years. My heart will only be at peace after the fire is extinguished."
Renovations under scrutiny as arrests made
Authorities suspect flammable materials used in a HK$330 million ($42.2 million) renovation project-including substandard mesh, plastic sheets, and styrofoam-wrapped windows-fueled the fire's rapid spread. Three construction firm executives were arrested for "gross negligence." Residents had opposed the costly upgrades, with each household paying HK$160,000-180,000.
Kyle Ho, 32, who bought a flat with his retired parents three years ago, now faces uncertainty. "The worst-case scenario is that we've lost our flat," he said, though relieved his family survived. The government announced HK$10,000 in cash relief per displaced family and a HK$300 million assistance fund.
Search continues as hope fades
Authorities insist rescue efforts are ongoing. "We haven't given up," officials stated Thursday. Chung, still waiting outside the charred towers, vowed to find his wife: "I want to rescue her-whether she's alive or gone."
"Supplies have stabilized, but conservation remains essential."
Hong Kong Fire Services Department (paraphrased from survivor accounts)
