Eight additional arrests were made as the number of confirmed fatalities climbed to 128 and as many as 200 individuals remained unaccounted for following a massive fire at a residential complex in Hong Kongs Tai Po district.
The blaze erupted at 2:51 p.m. on Wednesday in a public housing estate, spreading across eight buildings. According to local reports, 79 people were injured including 12 firefighters and treated at eight hospitals, with 56 still hospitalized.
Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services, said most victims were discovered in Wang Cheong House and Wang Tai House. Many residents were trapped inside, and officials warned the casualty numbers could continue to rise.
The incident has become the deadliest fire in the city since 1996, surpassing the Garley Building blaze that claimed 41 lives.
A temporary memorial area has formed at Kwong Fuk, where residents have gathered to honor the victims. Actor Tony Leung and his wife Carina Lau donated $257,120 to an emergency relief fund established by the Community Chest, which is also coordinating donated goods and services for displaced families.
Flags at government buildings in Hong Kong and abroad will be flown at half-mast from Saturday through Monday. A three-minute moment of silence is scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday.
By Thursday evening, major firefighting operations had concluded. Fire Services Director Andy Yeung noted that building alarms were found not functional during inspections, though it remains unclear whether they worked at any point during the fire. Yeung confirmed that legal action will follow.
On Friday, authorities arrested two directors of a consulting firm overseeing maintenance work, two project managers, three subcontractors involved with scaffolding, and an intermediary. Previously, three construction workers had been detained on suspicion of gross negligence.
Thousands of residents have spent three consecutive nights in temporary shelters. Around 4,000 people lived in the affected estate. Those displaced will receive a $6,400 living allowance, while families of the deceased will be granted approximately $25,700, according to Alice Mak, Hong Kongs secretary for home and youth affairs.
Investigators believe the fire originated on a lower floor of Wang Cheong House (Block 6). The entire Wang Fuk Court complex has been under renovation since July 2024, wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green protective netting.
Hong Kongs Secretary for Security Chris Tang said the blaze spread rapidly after the protective mesh and polystyrene window panels ignited, failing to meet safety standards. The intense heat which exceeded 930F shattered windows and allowed flames to sweep through multiple floors and adjoining buildings. The flammable panels also obstructed several escape routes.