Hong Kong High-Rise Fire: At Least 128 Dead, Dozens Missing as Renovation Corruption Probe Expands

Hong Kong is reeling from a catastrophic high-rise fire at Wang Fuk Court that has now claimed at least 128 lives, marking the city’s deadliest blaze in over seven decades. Dozens more remain missing, while 79 survivors are being treated for serious injuries.

Authorities have arrested eight additional suspects linked to alleged corruption in renovation projects carried out on the affected buildings. They join three people previously detained on manslaughter charges. The growing probe is central to public outrage as residents question how such a large-scale tragedy became possible in modern Hong Kong.

How the Fire Spread So Rapidly

While the official cause remains under investigation, fire officials confirmed that polystyrene and external construction netting helped fuel the blaze, allowing flames to race across multiple high-rise blocks.

The fire, which reached temperatures of up to 500°C, reignited several times before being fully extinguished.

More than 2,300 firefighters were deployed as flames jumped across seven of the eight apartment towers in the estate home to nearly 4,600 residents, many of them elderly.

Failed Fire Alarms & Safety Complaints Spark Public Anger

Residents have reported that fire alarms did not activate, a claim supported by Hong Kong’s fire service. There are also allegations that construction workers disabled alarm systems during renovation work a revelation now circulating widely online and contributing to rising tension.

Officials confirm that 89 bodies are yet to be identified, while 16 remain trapped inside the charred structures.

Human Stories Behind the Statistics

Families have been gathering at a local community hall, clutching photographs of missing loved ones and praying for identification updates. Support centres and temporary shelters have been set up, while volunteers continue supplying food, clothing, and necessities to displaced residents.

One former resident told reporters:

“We watched our home burn and there was nothing we could do.”

Among the victims is 37 year old firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who collapsed inside the building. Twelve other firefighters were injured during rescue attempts.

A migrant support organisation has confirmed the deaths of two Indonesian workers, while Indonesian and Filipino nationals remain missing as the search continues.

Background on Wang Fuk Court

Built in 1983, Wang Fuk Court housed 1,984 flats and nearly 40% of residents were over 65. Many had lived there for decades, turning the complex into a tight-knit community one now shattered by loss and unanswered questions.

Accountability and the Path Forward

With corruption allegations emerging and evidence of fire safety failures, Hong Kong residents are demanding justice, transparency, and swift reforms. Authorities say investigations will run for weeks, but the public mood is firm: someone must be held responsible.

The last time Hong Kong faced a tragedy of this magnitude was in 1948, when a warehouse fire killed 176 people. Now, the city grieves again and waits for truth, accountability, and healing.