A devastating fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court housing complex has killed at least 83 people, left around 250 missing, and led to three arrests on suspicion of manslaughter as rescue efforts continue.
Hong Kong authorities say the death toll from the massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate has risen to 83, with around 250 people still missing as firefighters continue battling remaining hotspots more than 24 hours after the blaze erupted.
The disaster, Hong Kong’s worst since 1948, engulfed multiple blocks of the eight-tower complex and left dozens injured, including 12 in critical and 29 in serious condition. Survivors described frantic escapes, while others anxiously searched for missing family members, saying “All our belongings were in this building — what’s left?” Police have arrested three people on suspicion of manslaughter, saying the contractors may have been “grossly negligent,” with unsafe materials and renovation structures suspected of fueling the fire’s spread. The government has announced emergency funds, temporary housing, inspections of renovation sites, and a review of bamboo-scaffolding practices as international condolences and local volunteer support pour in.