LONDON — The loss of life toll from the huge fireplace at a residential house advanced in Hong Kong rose to 128 as of Friday, as search and rescue efforts continued.
Hong Kong Secretary for Safety Chris Tang Ping-keung introduced the brand new loss of life toll on Friday however warned that extra our bodies should be discovered.
Three males related to the development agency in command of the renovation on the housing advanced have been arrested and are underneath investigation in reference to the fireplace, Hong Kong police mentioned throughout a press convention early Thursday morning.
Police suspect the mesh used throughout the renovation was lower than normal, and the corporate put in a considerable amount of Styrofoam within the home windows and the outer partitions which acted as an accelerant as soon as the fireplace started, police mentioned.
The mesh and the Styrofoam have been discovered within the one constructing that wasn’t impacted by the fireplace, police mentioned.
Greater than 140 fireplace engines and over 800 firefighters and paramedics have been deployed on Wednesday to reply to the fireplace, with drones additionally in use, officers mentioned.
Firefighters spray water on flames as a serious fireplace burns via a number of house blocks on the Wang Fuk Courtroom residential property in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Nov. 27, 2025.
Peter Parks/AFP by way of Getty Photos
Some 279 individuals have been reported lacking, Hong Kong chief John Lee mentioned throughout a press briefing earlier Thursday.
“The fireplace has resulted in lots of casualties, together with a fireman who died within the line of responsibility,” Lee mentioned in an earlier assertion posted to social media. “I categorical my deep unhappiness and my deep condolences to the households of the useless and the injured.”
Chinese language President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences and sympathies to the victims’ households and people affected in a press release.
He mentioned he ordered authorities to “do the whole lot attainable to make sure search and rescue operations, medical therapy for the injured, and post-disaster reduction, and to supply vital help to related departments and native authorities to attenuate casualties and losses.”
Thick smoke and flames rise as a serious fireplace engulfs a number of house blocks on the Wang Fuk Courtroom residential property in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26, 2025.
Yan Zhao/AFP by way of Getty Photos
ABC Information’ Karson Yiu, Ellie Kaufman, Will Gretsky and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
