Hong Kong fire: Rescue effort called off with 128 dead, 200 missing
- Fire tore through residential towers in Hong Kong
- Death toll rose to 128, government says
- About 200 people still missing
- Authorities say fire alarms were not working
- Three from construction company arrested
- Suspects held on suspicion of manslaughter
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Hundreds mobilise to deliver aid
Hundreds of volunteers have mobilised to help the victims, sorting and distributing items from diapers to hot food.
Forming teams to collect, transport and distribute goods in round-the-clock shifts, volunteers have set up a sprawling support camp for displaced residents beside a shopping mall across from the fire-damaged Wang Fuk complex.
Marquees went up on Friday as volunteers handed out supplies, with hand-drawn maps showing where to pick up items such as toiletries, bedding, clothing and pet supplies.
“This is real civil participation,” said 22-year-old Helena who was coordinating volunteers, and gave only one name.
Bosco Pang, 40, has set up a charging station for people to charge power banks in the back of his car.
“There are many volunteers helping out at the resources stations. That’s why we came up with this idea,” Pang said.
In pictures: Grim body recoveries
Out of the 128 dead bodies recovered, only 39 have been identified, said Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang.
With fire out, investigation will begin
“The fire was put out and rescue operation is over,” said Hong Kong Secretary of Security Chris Tang told reporters.
“Our aim now is to make sure the temperature decreases in the building and once everything is deemed safe, police will collect evidence and conduct further investigation”.
an hour ago
Authorities say fire alarms were not properly working
Here are some more of the key points from the government news conference, which just finished:
- The fire alarms in affected buildings were not operating properly
- Not all the deceased have been identified yet
- Some 1,000 police were mobilised for rescue efforts
- So far 108 bodies have been removed from the burned buildings.
- Four people died of their injuries in hospital
an hour ago
Rescue efforts have wrapped up with 200 still missing
Hong Kong Security Chief Chris Tang says the search for survivors has ended. About 200 people are still unaccounted for and at least 79 have been injured.
The government says 12 firemen were injured in the blaze, with one in serious condition.
2 hours ago
The death toll has now risen to 128, government says
Authorities are holding a briefing
How the deadly inferno spread
Reuters’ graphics team has put together a visual story detailing how the fire spread.
Builders had been renovating the complex since July 2024.
At the time of the blaze, each tower was surrounded by bamboo scaffolding and sheathed in green construction mesh.
The fire started at the complex’s Wang Cheong House at around 2:51 p.m. HKT (0651 GMT) on Wednesday.
It then spread to neighbouring Wang Tai House and Wang Shing House.
How do other fire disasters compare?
2 hours ago
The death toll of 94 in Hong Kong’s fire makes it one of the most fatal infernos worldwide in the past 15 years.
Here’s how the tragedy compares to some other major building fires around the world in recent years.
KISS NIGHTCLUB, Brazil, 2013 – 242 dead
More than 200 people were killed in a nightclub when pyrotechnics set the ceiling on fire, trapping people inside.
The nightclub owners and two band members were given lengthy prison sentences.
GRENFELL TOWER, Britain, 2017 – 72 dead
The fire that ripped through a 23-storey social housing block was Britain’s deadliest blaze in a residential building since World War Two.
The tragedy exposed the use of flammable cladding on high-rises across Britain.
COLECTIV NIGHTCLUB, Romania, 2015 – 65 dead
Fireworks used by rock band ignited non-fireproofed insulation foam, triggering a stampede and killing 65 people.
The nightclub owners and a mayor were jailed after a court found the room was overcrowded.
SHANGHAI HIGH-RISE, China, 2010 – 58 dead
Unlicensed welding work sparked a blaze in a 28-storey block in Shanghai.
Four former city officials were jailed for corruption and abuse of power.
HANOI APARTMENT BLOCK, Vietnam, 2023 – 56 dead
A fire at a nine-story Hanoi apartment building killed 56 people including 10 children.
The building’s landlord was jailed for fire safety violations and illegal construction.
3 hours ago
Some road sections still closed
A number of road sections are still closed because of the fire, including ones connecting to a major highway, Hong Kong’s Transport Department has said.
Around 40 bus routes have also been impacted.
4 hours ago
In pictures: People mourn as bodies recovered
5 hours ago
Public anger may spread beyond construction firms
From faulty fire alarms to workers smoking cigarettes, many residents questioned whether risks were ignored and safety systems installed and operational.
As they huddled in shelters, some criticized what they saw as negligence and cost-cutting as a cause of the fire, echoing similar sentiments online.
While protests are relatively tightly controlled in Hong Kong, a full range of online forums remain accessible and are likely to offer an early barometer of the public mood.
Analysts say public anger and concern may spread beyond the construction firms to the government’s fire safety and building regulators.
They also say pressure is likely to build for extensive and open investigations into what happened.
“I believe we need to seriously review fire safety and site safety management across the entire industry, including government oversight,” said Chau Sze Kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union.
Two Indonesian domestic workers died in the fire
Indonesia’s consulate in Hong Kong has confirmed two Indonesian domestic workers have died in the fire. Another two were injured.
The consulate said it was coordinating with local police to support any nationals affected by the fire.
Hong Kong had 368,000 foreign domestic helpers working in 2024, figures from Hong Kong Legislative Council Secretariat show.
Of those, Indonesians made up 42% and 55% were from the Philippines. The remainder come from other places in South and Southeast Asia.
Firefighters continue to work at site
We are seeing firefighters preparing gear including what look like oxygen tanks.
Derek Chan of the fire services had said the firefighting was nearly completed, and the search and rescue operation would be conducted next.
“We will endeavour to effect forcible entry to all the units of the seven blocks concerned so as to ensure that there are no other possible casualties,” Chan said in a briefing hours ago.
Public broadcaster RTHK had earlier reported the firefighters planned to complete search and rescue operations by 9 a.m. (0100 GMT), but that time has now passed.
As many as 279 people were listed as missing on Thursday, but that figure has not been updated for more than 24 hours.
The death toll is currently at 94, but it may rise throughout the day.
